Destination Canada is pleased to announce the next phase of its Canadian Business Event Sustainability Plan as domestic partners across the country embark on the Global Destination Sustainability Index (GDS-Index) annual benchmarking process.
The GDS-Index is the world's leading sustainability performance programme for business tourism destinations around the world. Used by over 80 cities globally, the GDS-Index benchmarks and improves the sustainability performance and strategies of the municipality, its tourism supply chain, and the destination management organisation. The programme is being managed by ConnectSeven Group based in Vancouver, who lead GDS-Movement initiatives in North America.
Launched in the spring of 2022, Destination Canada's Canadian Business Event Sustainability Plan is a first-of-its-kind national programme aimed at improving the economic, socio-cultural, and environmental sustainability practices of business events hosted in Canada. Aligned with the mission and vision of the plan, the GDS-Index cements Destination Canada's position as a global leader in business event sustainability and positions Canadian destinations as changemakers accelerating progress toward the industry's 2050 net zero targets.
"Sustainability is more than a competitive advantage, it is a collaborative one, too — a long-term commitment from the entire business event supply chain is a must-have on the path to sustainability," says Virginie De Visscher, Senior Director of Business Development, Economic Sectors, Business Events, Destination Canada. "That is why having Canadian destination partners from coast-to-coast-to-coast join the GDS-Index and reaffirm their commitments to improving the economic, socio-cultural, and environmental sustainability of the business events Canada hosts is so important. It also brings us that much closer to our collective responsibility of fostering a regenerative tourism ecosystem that produces positive net benefits for guests and Canadians, alike."
"We are delighted to welcome Destination Canada and an expanding group of Canadian pioneering cities to the GDS-Movement. The commitment to use the GDS-Index at a national level to benchmark, enable knowledge sharing, and drive capability improvement across the events industry is world-class. The GDS-Index provides an operating system to guide and drive transformation across the city, the supply chain, and the destination management organisation. This ecosystems approach has been proven to accelerate change and has the potential to improve positive impact more comprehensively than a single, standalone certification might," says Global Destination Sustainability Movement's Chief Changemaker, Guy Bigwood.
Once complete, the Canadian Business Event Sustainability Plan will provide turnkey economic, socio-cultural, and environmental sustainability programs to global clients to drive action, raise standards, and propel the entire business event industry toward being more sustainable.
At Destination Canada, we believe that tourism enhances the quality of life of Canadians and enriches the lives of visitors. We believe that Canada's diversity, its greatest asset, is also what touches travellers' hearts most deeply. Our mission is to influence supply, and build demand for the benefit of locals, communities and visitors through leading research, alignment with public and private sectors, and marketing Canada nationally and abroad. Our destination development work ensures that we grow a premier four-season tourism economy that is community centric and regenerative in nature — catalysing thriving commerce, culture and reconciliation.
Destination Canada's Business Events team is charged with growing Canada's share of international business events by promoting the country's unique meeting, convention, and incentive event possibilities. By driving awareness of Canada's leading economic strengths and how local knowledge capital can elevate business events, Destination Canada's Business Events team helps international organizations meet with purpose in Canada.
For further information, visit Destination Canada website
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