The GDS-Index 2024 Returns with its top 40 Sustainable Destinations

The Finnish capital is now the new leader of the GDS ranking | Photo kindly provided by Helsinki Partners © Marita Eriksson

The Global Destination Sustainability Index (GDS-Index)* has unveiled its 2024 rankings, highlighting the Top 40 sustainable destinations from around the globe. These exceptional locations demonstrate a strong commitment to sustainable tourism by effectively balancing tourism growth with environmental stewardship and community well-being. 

In 2024, the GDS-Index broadened its scope by introducing new criteria that focus on regenerative tourism, circular economy practices, and enhanced climate action criteria. These significant updates reflect the evolving needs of modern tourism, which has resulted in a shift, with lower rankings overall for destinations in this year’s index benchmarking. 

The Top 40 destinations demonstrate a commitment to innovation, sustainability practices, and forward-thinking policies, with leaders from well-established and emerging regions alike. For the first time, Helsinki claimed the top spot, replacing Gothenburg, which had held the leading position for several years on and off, and dropped down to second place. Copenhagen follows closely in third place, solidifying its status as a global leader in sustainable destination management.

New entrants such as Limerick, Victoria, Quebec City, Dublin, and Horsens have joined the ranks, while Reykjavik makes a welcome return after a brief absence. 

Larger cities continue to dominate the upper tiers of the list, though there is a balance in terms of population size across the Top 40. 

Key Highlights from the Top 40 Destinations – an Evolution in Destination Sustainability: 

• Over the past nine years (since the GDS-Index's inception), the average performance in destination sustainability has risen 23%, with the Top 10 destinations showing a remarkable 44% increase.
• The performance gap between cities outside the Top 10 and the overall index average decreased from 28.8% to 23.2%, indicating improvements among lower-ranked destinations.
• Social responsibility is becoming a key pillar of sustainability. Destinations that actively promote community involvement and support local economies are seeing higher scores in the index.
• The 2024 rankings reflect the challenges posed by a more demanding methodology. The GDS-Index introduced 12 new criteria, refined 28 others, and removed five to keep pace with global sustainability demands. As a result, 26 of the Top 40 destinations saw a score decline despite their continued efforts.
• A wave of improvement in the Supplier and Destination Management categories indicates that a strategic focus on sustainability is gaining traction, with 23 destinations achieving maximum scores and demonstrating the efficacy of clear, actionable sustainability plans. 

Regional Leaders

A remarkable shift is occurring in the Asia Pacific region, as several destinations have surged into the Top 40 rankings, underscoring an increased emphasis on sustainable travel. Singapore and Sydney emerged as leaders in this movement, securing the top positions in their region and reflecting a growing commitment to more sustainable tourism practices.

In Central and Southern Europe, Bordeaux claimed the top spot, surpassing Glasgow, while Zurich also climbed the ranks, demonstrating a strong commitment to sustainability. Paris makes a notable entry at fifth place, highlighting the city’s innovative approaches to more responsible, responsive tourism and sustainable infrastructure.

In North America, Victoria has overtaken Montreal this year, showcasing its growing reputation as a sustainable travel destination. Meanwhile, Quebec, Edmonton, and Ottawa have maintained their positions, emphasising their ongoing dedication to responsible practices that attract travellers seeking more environmentally-friendly experiences.

As anticipated, Helsinki remains a standout leader in the Northern European region, celebrated for its pioneering sustainable initiatives. Bergen has climbed one spot, reinforcing its commitment to social, economic, and environmental well-being, while Aarhus makes a welcome debut in the rankings, reflecting a broader trend of prioritising sustainability in travel across the region.

5 Key Insights from this Year’s Index Results 

When it Rains, it Pours

A stark contrast has emerged between the ambitious climate targets set by destinations and their actual preparedness, as well as the rapid pace at which climate change is impacting them. Fewer than half of major cities are equipped with crisis management plans for tourism and events, raising alarms as we face escalating climate emergencies in 2024 and the growing threats that lie ahead. 

Certified Change

With impending EU sustainability regulations, the rise in third-party certifications across hotels, venues, and airports underscores a crucial shift towards accountability, though many destinations still grapple with the complexities of fully implementing third-party-verified standards. 

Residents’ Rights in a Sea of Visitors

As overtourism becomes an urgent issue, only 13% of the Top 40 destinations have conducted vital social carrying capacity studies, signalling a pressing need for enhanced visitor management strategies to protect culturally- and environmentally- sensitive sites. 

Bold, Truthful, and Transparent Storytelling

A recent decline in "greenhushing" to 30% indicates a growing commitment among destinations to openly communicate their sustainability efforts, although there is still considerable room for improvement. Currently, 62% of destinations include their sustainability performance in reports. Furthermore, 80% share sustainability information about key suppliers; however, only 61% provide details on their sustainable events strategy. 

Data-Accelerated Decision Making

As destinations increasingly harness data for sustainability objectives, the notable uptick in measuring social, environmental, and economic indicators highlights a transformative trend towards informed decision-making in the pursuit of sustainable tourism. 

Guy Bigwood, CEO, GDS-Movement, concludes: "The 2024 GDS-Index results show that the path to a more sustainable visitor economy is more critical than ever. As global destinations face the multiple pressures of climate change, inequality, and overtourism, forward-thinking governance, transparency, and innovative practices will be the key drivers of lasting impact. The success of the Top 40 destinations highlights the power of collective action and a commitment to regenerative tourism that benefits both people and place.” 

The GDS-Index is a trusted performance improvement programme to assess and accelerate the progress of a destination’s regenerative journey. It measures, benchmarks, and enhances the sustainability strategies, action plans, and initiatives of more than 100 destination management organisations, municipal authorities, and their tourism supply chains. Co-founded in 2016 by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), City Destinations Alliance (CityDNA), IMEX Group, and MCI, the GDS-Index offers an unparalleled resource for visitors, DMOs, municipalities, and event planners looking for destinations that offer the best in sustainability performance.

For full details on the 2024 rankings and to download the full GDS-Index report, click here