Glasgow Becomes First CVB to Join Tourism Declares

Glasgow Convention Bureau has become the first convention bureau in the world to join Tourism Declares.

Launched in January 2020 as a voluntary initiative to align tourism and travel with the target to cut global emissions in half by 2030, Tourism Declares a Climate Emergency recognises the complex nature of the tourism industry; its impact on the climate but also its potential to influence positive change. The initiative now has 225 members representing business, destinations & NGOs from most sectors of the industry. As the tourism and events industry looks to recover, reimagine and renew from the Covid-19 crisis, Tourism Declares and its members across the world are working together to share knowledge and best practice to address climate change.

This announcement builds on the city’s position as the 4th most sustainable conference destination in the world and the only UK city to be included in the Global Destination Sustainability Index (GDS–Index). 

On signing up to Tourism Declares Aileen Crawford, Head of Conventions at Glasgow Convention Bureau, said, “Glasgow is working towards becoming one of Europe’s most sustainable cities and a world-leading centre for sustainable policy, innovation and action.  As the city gears up to host COP26, the UN Conference on Climate Change, the Convention Bureau is keen to do its bit. Signing up to Tourism Declares is an important step in our support of the city’s credentials as a world-leader in sustainable business tourism.

We’re working closely with our partners to encourage more tourism businesses to develop their sustainability credentials and find out more about certification schemes like Green Tourism and Green Key, who offer a wide range of support to businesses.”

Glasgow has a growing reputation for business and academic excellence in the energy, sustainability and low carbon industries and as a result, is attracting an increasing number of conferences in these fields.

Prior to the pandemic, Glasgow hosted 20 energy, sustainability and low carbon industry-related conferences over a 24-month period; boosting the city’s economy by more than £23 million.

“We are delighted to welcome Glasgow Convention Bureau to Tourism Declares", said Jeremy Smith, co-founder of Tourism Declares. "We need to engage all sectors of travel and tourism in climate action, and it is inspiring that GCB is the first such organisation in the world to declare, especially in the year that Glasgow will play host to the COP26 Climate Conference. We really hope this is the beginning of the Business Events and Conferences sector delivering the kind of commitments and transformative action of which it is uniquely capable, and we look forward to working with GCB to support such collaboration in Scotland over the coming months."