These are the 10 most sustainable tourist destinations in Europe

05-12-22

According to the Global Destinations Sustainability Index, European cities are at the top of the list of the most environmentally committed in the industry. What they are and what you need to know about these great places

Sustainability is not just about the environment. Being good to the planet is certainly crucial to ensuring a sustainable future, but so is having a healthy society and political system. Deciding what is sustainable and what is not can therefore be very complicated and multifaceted.

That is why it is so important that the Global Destination Sustainability Index (GDS-Index) is so comprehensive and complex. By judging locations on 70 indicators ranging from CO2 emissions and air quality to political corruption and unemployment, the GDS Index gives destinations a percentage "sustainability score".

“The GDS-Index is a performance improvement programme to make tourism and events more sustainable. It showcases brave, bold and pioneering cities, towns and regions that recognise the urgent need to regenerate themselves by working together to develop destinations where people, place and planet can thrive," reads the publication.

Top of this year's rankings is once again Gothenburg. With a score of 93% in the index and maintaining last year's top spot, the Swedish city was crowned queen when it came to green public transport and local biodiversity.

"Gothenburg's approach to sustainability has gained international recognition over the years. The city has been leading the Global Destination Sustainability Index for five consecutive years (2016-2021) and was the European Capital of Smart Tourism in 2020. It was also named the World's Best Sustainable City in 2021 by Lonely Planet," say the experts.

In April 2022, Gothenburg became one of the European Union's 100 climate-neutral and smart cities, forerunner cities on a mission towards climate neutrality 2030. It was also awarded the European Capital of Inclusion and Diversity award.

With a vision to be independent of fossil fuels by 2030, smart accessibility and mobility with 97% of public transport running on renewable energy, a sustainable tourism ecosystem with 95% of hotel rooms environmentally certified, a strong legacy programme for events and meetings, and a drive for a more circular economy, the city made sustainability its business.

In second place in the ranking is Bergen (with a score of 88%) in Norway, partly due to its social equality and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, followed by the Danish capital Copenhagen (87%), thanks to initiatives such as its wastewater treatment plants and renewable energy sources.

As the report unveiled, in 2018, Wonderful Copenhagen, Copenhagen's tourism agency, launched its "Tourism for Good" sustainability strategy with the ambition to ensure that tourism has a positive impact on local and global sustainable development. In the same year, the strategy won the Innovation Award from the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) and in 2019, Wonderful Copenhagen became the first agency to be certified as a Green Tourism Organisation.

In fourth and fifth place are Aalborg in Denmark and Bordeaux in France, respectively. "Every year, Aalborg holds a sustainability festival week in which the city and municipality invite everyone to showcase their sustainable projects in and around the city. The Danish city and port, capital of the North Jutland region, has had sustainability on the agenda for many years with the 'Aalborg Charter', and continues to push its development towards a more sustainable future," they say.

Apart from the environmental aspect, Aalborg is the happiest city in the EU (2016) and a city in a country that is at the absolute top of the rankings as least corrupt country/ most prosperous country/ most peaceful country/ and best country for women. About the port city on the Garonne River in the southwest of France, the experts note: "Between the vineyard and the ocean, Bordeaux is the gateway to the Southwest and the epitome of the sweetness of living".

"A jewel of 18th century architecture, the city has reinvented itself in recent years to become a destination of choice for leisure tourism and professional events. Wine, cannelloni, oysters? These specialities make Bordeaux a true symbol of the French way of life. Bordeaux is also the breeding ground of a trendy alternative culture that faces the 'Port of the Moon'," they say.

The process of judging this element, of paramount importance in order to be among the most sought after by business tourism, begins with the candidature submitted by the city itself. A committee of experts then assesses the city's characteristics that are linked to sustainability in the tourism industry in four areas: environmental commitment, social commitment, supplier efficiency and overall destination conditions.

As usual, Northern European countries dominate the GDS-Index ranking. These are the top ten destinations on this year's list, along with their sustainability scores.

1. Gothenburg, Sweden (93%)

2. Bergen, Norway (88%)

3. Copenhagen, Denmark (87%)

4. Aalborg, Denmark (86%)

5. Bordeaux, France (85%)

6. Glasgow, United Kingdom (84%)

7. Stockholm, Sweden (84%)

8. Belfast, UK (84%)

9. Aarhus, Denmark (84%)

10. Oslo, Norway (83%)