How can events and tourism help destinations to accelerate their sustainability strategies, and make their cities better places to live, meet in and visit. How can destinations use sustainability for success. Presentation shares case studies and examples from the Global Destinations Sustainability Index and their work around the world

1. DRIVING PERFORMANCE AND COMPETITIVENESS
How destinations around the globe are
leveraging sustainability for success
Presentation by
Guy Bigwood, Managing Director

2. When the wind blows there are those that build walls
and then there are those that build windmills

3. 5
HOW COULD WE DEVELOP A SCANDINAVIAN
SUSTAINABLE MEETING REGION?

4. WHAT IS A SUSTAINABLE DESTINATION?

5. HOW DO WE MEASURE IT
HOW DO WE GET BETTER FASTER

6. INSPIRE EMPOWERENGAGE
What is the GDS-Index Our Mission
Destinations to develop effective strategies and
practices in support of the Sustainable
Development Goals
The Global Destination Sustainability Index (GDS-Index) is a
multi-stakeholder partnership created to unleash the power of
the meetings, events and business tourism industry to
accelerate the sustainable development of destinations.
It was founded by:

7. How do we drive destination sustainability?
EXPERTS ASSESS
& BENCHMARK
DESTINATION
HELP
DESTINATION
IMPROVE
PERFORMANCE
PROMOTE
BEST PRACTICE

8. How do we drive destination sustainability?
EXPERTS ASSESS
& BENCHMARK
DESTINATION
HELP
DESTINATION
IMPROVE
PERFORMANCE
PROMOTE
BEST PRACTICE
Marcoms Analysis &
Content Development
Training
Strategy Development
Strategy and Performance Analysis, and
Improvement Recommendations

9. How do we drive destination sustainability?
22,000+ Estimated
Industry Press Reach!
EXPERTS ASSESS
& BENCHMARK
DESTINATION
HELP
DESTINATION
IMPROVE
PERFORMANCE
PROMOTE
BEST PRACTICE

10. 2018 GDS-Index Benchmarking
•Energy and Emissions
•Waste
•Air Quality
•Transportation
•Green Areas
City Environmental
Performance
•Corruption
•Inequality
•Gender Inequality
City Social
Performance
•Hotels
•Airport
•Agencies (PCOs & DMCs)
•Restaurants
•Venues
Supplier
Performance
•Destination Strategy
•Governance and Reporting
•Capacity Building & Incentives
•Marketing and Business Development
•Accessibility
•Community Engagement & Support
DMO / CVB
Performance

11. 60 cities from 5 continents and growing
Our goal is to have 300 global destinations by 2022
Top Ten City Name Country
1 Gothenburg Sweden
2 Copenhagen Denmark
3 Reykjavik Iceland
4 Oslo Norway
5 Uppsala Sweden
5 Helsinki Finland
6 Malmö Sweden
7 Zurich Switzerland
7 Glasgow Scotland
8 Melbourne Australia
9 Sydney Australia
10 Brussels Belgium
10 Espoo Finland
31 St Petersburg Russia
A Global Community of Collaborating Destinations

12. Influencing Client Behaviour
SEARCH
for a sustainable destination
REVIEW
destinations performance
COMPARE
Different destinations

13. How are leading destinations around the globe
leveraging sustainability for success

14. Tourism is a means to a sustainable end – a reality where tourism contributes positively to society, to building better cities
and destinations for locals and visitors alike and where tourism is a driver of positive change
1. LEVERAGING THE SDGs
Growth is only relevant when it has a positive impact
https://www.visitcopenhagen.dk/da/tourismforgood

15. SDG Mapping: Which goals are relevant?
Impact and Influence
on Destination and
Stakeholders
High
Low
Medium

16. Focus on Specific SDGs
Based on relevance, influence and impact
ENGAGE
EMPOWER
PROMOTE
Low
Environmental
Impact
Positive social
impact
Economic
returns
Use the SDG Indicators can help you define your goals
Goal Example KPI SDGs
Continually engage and involve
key stakeholders in the
sustainable management and
development of the destination
• 70% of key stakeholders (suppliers,
residents, clients, public institutions)
support continue growth of destination
for events and tourism
17
Promote economic growth and
decent work within the región
• 20% growth in congresses coming - as
measured by ICCA
• Win 6 new congresses about sustainable
development
8
Reduce plastic usage, promote
responsable consumption and
circular economy innovation
• 90% of all suppliers (hotels, venues,
agencies) have an effective sustainable
management system, with 70% having an
independent certification
• Increase recycling and reuse rates to 75%
(2020 goal is 60%)
12,
14

17. https://www.visitcopenhagen.dk/
da/tourismforgood
Focus on specific SDGs. Develop goals and KPIs

18. 20
2. INTEGRATING SCIENCE BASED GOALS
Sector targets
City of Sydney has set bold targets for a 70 per cent emissions
reduction by 2030, and net zero emissions by 2050.
By 2022, targets are to:
• Reduce sector greenhouse gas emissions by 12 per cent from
2006 levels
• Zero increase in potable water use from 2006 baseline
• Increase resource recovery to divert 70% of waste from landfill.
By 2030, if the sector implements the actions in this plan, the
sector could:
• Reduce sector greenhouse gas emissions by 23 per cent from
2006 levels
• Save over 9 per cent of potable water consumption including
accessing recycled water
• Divert 90 per cent of waste from landfill.

19. https://10xcopenhagen.com/
3. IMPROVING STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
MAKE THE DATA SEXY!

20. 4. SUSTAINABILITY - A PILLAR OF THE BUSINESS PLAN
Vision: By 2030, destination Gothenburg will have doubled its
tourism by setting an international example and constantly
challenging accepted ideas of sustainability.
We do this through wide-reaching collaboration
- by leading and promoting the development of Gothenburg as a sustainable
destination
- so that everyone who lives and works here benefits from a growing
hospitality industry.
The mission of Göteborg & Co is to get more people to discover and choose
Gothenburg.
http://goteborgco.se/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Affarsplan_Destination_samt_Goteborg__Co__2018-
2020_ENG_lowres_spreads.pdf

21. 5. ENABLING THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY

22. 6. PROMOTING THE FOOD REVOLUTION
Food is being used to accelerate the sustainability movement by engaging locals and visitors in
more local, unique and innovative food culture
https://www.mcgreenglam.com/en/savor

23. 25
7. DESTINATIONS: OPEN FOR ALL
1 billion people have some form of disability. Approx 10% of event attendees have some form of sensory,
mobility, cognitive or medical disability. Leading sustainable destinations are addressing this challenge

24. 26
8. CERTIFICATIONS AS AN ENABLER
To increase certification, DMOs are engaging their hoteliers, they are helping to finance certification and they are
promoting certification to clients
Monaco now has 82% of its hotel romos eco-certified. Like
others they have shown that it is posible to increase
certification.
Rank
2018
City Name Country Region
%3rd Party
Certified HOTELS
1 Oslo Norway Nordics 88%
2 Reykjavik Iceland Nordics 87%
2 Stockholm Sweden Nordics 87%
3 Monaco Monaco Western Europe 82%
4 Helsinki Finland Nordics 78%
5 Copenhagen Denmark Nordics 70%
Leading Capital cities for hotel certification

25. 27
9. TELLING AN ENGAGING STORY
Great web
site
structure,
design, tools,
policyhttps://www.melbournecb.com.au/
why-melbourne/sustainability/

26. 28
9. TELLING AN ENGAGING STORY
Using video
to tell a fun
story
https://www.mcgreenglam.com/en/savor
https://www.mcgreenglam.com/en/respect
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzziRkQPfJGIECCszXLyNzA

27. http://goteborgco.se/wp-
content/uploads/2016/04/Hallbarhetsredovisning-GBG-Co-2017_EN.pdf
10. COMMUNICATION ON PROGRESS

28. 10 Characteristics of Destination Sustainability Leaders
LEVERAGING THE
SDGs
INTEGRATING
SCIENCE BASED
GOALS
IMPROVING
STAKEHOLDER
ENGAGEMENT
INTEGRATING
INTO CORE
BUSINESS PLAN
ENABLING THE
CIRCULAR
ECONOMY
PROMOTING THE
FOOD
REVOLUTION
MAKING THEIR
CITY OPEN FOR
ALL
USING
CERTIFICATION AS
AN ENABLER
COMMUNICATING
ON PROGRESS
CREATING AN
ENGAGING STORY

29. SHARING KEY INSIGHTS: Whitepapers and Website
31
Read more about how event destinations around the
world are improving the sustainability and
competitiveness of their destinations?
More Info: www.gds-index.com

30. If you want to go fast go alone
If you want to go far go together

31. “It’s about Progress, not Perfection”
If you have any questions or require more information,
please contact:
Guy.Bigwood@gds-index.com
#guybigwood
To find out more about the GDS-Index,
please visit: www.gds-index.com