Scandinavian cities dominate the GDS index

Scandinavia dominates the top 5 in the Global Destination Sustainability Index

The latest Global Destination Sustainability (GDS) Index has named Helsinki the most sustainable travel destination in the world. The other top rankings also go to Scandinavian cities that play a leading role in terms of sustainability. The only German city in the top 40 is Berlin.

According to the GDS Index, the top five places are occupied exclusively by Scandinavian cities:

1. Helsinki
2. Göteborg
3. Kopenhagen
4. Bergen
5. Aarhus

Berlin made it to 26th place, while cities such as Bordeaux (6), Singapore (7) and Oslo (8) were also in the top 10.

Sustainability rated according to four categories

The GDS Index assesses the sustainability of cities based on more than 70 indicators in four main categories: Destination Management, Supplier Performance, Environmental Performance and Social Aspects. Over 100 cities worldwide are included in this comparison, which stand out for their investments in sustainable measures.

Helsinki secured the top spot thanks to its outstanding performance in the areas of destination management, environmental measures and supplier performance. The Finnish capital also took second place in the area of social progress. One of Helsinki's particular goals is to become CO2-neutral by 2030. The planned measures include the expansion of renewable energies and the electrification of local public transport, where over 30 per cent of the bus fleet has already been converted. In addition, over 30 kilometres of new tram lines are planned in the coming years.

Berlin makes it into the top 30

Berlin is also making progress in the area of sustainability, coming in 26th place. The capital is the only German city in the top 40 and stands out for its sustainable initiatives, which are also intended to contribute to a more environmentally friendly future.

More on the GDS-Index (in German).

Header: © Lauri Rotko / Helsinki Marketing