GDS Sustainability Index: Reykjavík among the 10 Most Sustainable Destinations
Reykjavík and The Capital Region is on the top-10 list of most sustainable destinations, according to the Global Destination Sustainability Index (GDS Index). A total of 81 destinations worldwide participated, and Reykjavík jumps 7 places compared to last year.
Two Years Ahead of Plan
Visit Reykjavík (Capital Region Marketing Office) and Meet in Reykjavík jointly coordinate the region’s participation in the sustainability index, and Meet in Reykjavík began this journey ten years ago. In a news release on the Marketing Office’s website, it is reported that in 2023 a destination strategy was adopted by stakeholders through the Marketing Office of the Capital Region, aiming to be a leader in sustainability. The defined goal was to be among the top 10 in the GDS Sustainability Index by 2027.
That goal has now been achieved two years ahead of schedule, making it clear that the Capital Region is at the forefront of destinations regarding sustainability.
Many Contributing Factors
The GDS Sustainability Index is an international metric that evaluates destination performance in sustainability in four key areas:
- Destination governance – primarily concerning the work of the Marketing Office and Meet in Reykjavík
- Supplier performance – how tourist service providers in the area overall perform in sustainability
- Social progress – covering aspects that affect the destination such as safety, corruption, access to information, health and well-being, equity, and financial systems
- Environmental issues – assessing how the destination performs in areas like climate change mitigation, carbon emissions, use of renewable energy, resource utilization, quality of public transport, air quality, and biodiversity
Nordic Cities Leading the Way
Helsinki now holds first place in the GDS Sustainability Index for the second year in a row, ahead of Gothenburg and Copenhagen. In total, seven Nordic cities are in the top 10