And in the end, it's a big city in the North that wins. After Gothenburg for the last two years, Helsinki has taken up the torch again to top the GDS Index, the ranking of sustainable tourist destinations. " Helsinki has consistently demonstrated its commitment to sustainability over the yearssaid Nina Vesterinen, Director of Tourism for the City of Helsinki. This first place testifies to the effectiveness of our efforts and the dedication of our team" . Renewable energies, electrification of buses and development of the tramway, residents involved in the decision-making process, inclusion and biodiversity: the Finnish capital is committed to achieving carbon neutrality for its destination and has set itself a zero target for its events by 2040.
Based on 77 criteria, the GDS Index barometer studies the environmental efforts made by destinations, particularly in the field of business tourism, taking into account not only their tourism strategy but also the involvement of local players, whether hotels, event venues or incoming agencies. In this context, the overall performance has improved steadily since the ranking was unveiled nine years ago, rising from 59.6% in 2016 to 86% in 2024 for the top 10 destinations.
These include, of course, Scandinavian cities with Göteborg and Copenhagen rounding out the podium behind Helsinki, as well as Bergen, Aarhus and Oslo. But the Top 10 also includes a French city, BordeauxThis year, Singapore has climbed back up to sixth place after dropping to ninth last year. Also among the ten most sustainable MICE destinations, two major cities in the Asia-Pacific region, Singapore (7e) and Sydney (10e), and a British metropolis, Belfast (9e).
Behind these cities at the cutting edge of responsible tourism, other French destinations are also recognised in this ranking, with Lyon coming in at number 15.e position, and the biggest of them all, Paris, up one place to 20e rank. Corinne MenegauxGeneral Manager of Paris je t'aime - Office de tourisme, is delighted with this increase: " We're very proud that Paris has made it into the top 20. The Paris 2024 Games were an excellent catalyst, showing the world the image of an increasingly sustainable destination: a swimmable Seine, a cycling and inclusive Paris... In keeping with the positive legacy of this global event, let's continue our efforts to make Paris the capital of sustainable tourism! ".
If we cross the GDS Index with the ICCA ranking recognising the world's largest convention cities, dominated by the French capital, Paris is one of the few cities, along with Singapore, to come out on top in both segments. Other cities that host major events, such as Berlin, Dublin and Barcelona, lag further behind, at 26% respectively.e, 29e and 31e GDS Index.
