Belfast has been ranked as the most sustainable visitor destination in the UK and Ireland by the GDS-Index, the leading destination-level performance measurement and benchmarking tool, and it now ranks alongside Sydney, Singapore, Oslo and Copenhagen in this year’s official top ten.
The GDS-Index is a third-party evaluation of the destination’s environmental, social, supplier and destination management performance across 77 indicators, assessing policies and infrastructure, destination management and sustainability performance within the tourism supply chain. It expanded the criteria this year to include regenerative tourism, circular-economy practices, and enhanced climate action.
“Belfast ranking in the top ten of 100 international destinations in the GDS-Index represents another significant milestone for the city, underpinning our vision, set out in the Belfast Resilience Strategy and climate plan,” said Belfast’s Lord Mayor, Councillor Micky Murray. “We want to see Belfast transition to an inclusive, zero-emissions and climate-resilient economy within a generation.”
Belfast’s drive to put sustainability at the forefront of tourism growth and development has secured the city ninth place among 100 international destinations in this year’s Global Destination Sustainability Index. Through the collaborative efforts of Visit Belfast, Belfast City Council, and a wide range of tourism industry partners, Belfast now ranks as the most sustainable visitor destination in the UK and on the island of Ireland, according to the GDS-Index.
“Visit Belfast and Belfast City Council have used the Global Destination Sustainability Index to take action and have identified where the city, the tourism supply chain, and the destination-marketing organisation are doing well as well, and where greater action is required,” said Guy Bigwood, chief executive and change-maker at the GDS-Index.
“Working collaboratively with their partners, they have successfully implemented a robust multi-year action plan that is continuing to produce a measurable impact, cementing their place at number nine in the index.”
In June 2021, Visit Belfast and Belfast City Council launched the world’s largest-ever green-tourism city partnership. Today, more than 76% of the hotel bedrooms in Belfast are sustainability certified.
“Our vision is one of growth of sustainable and inclusive tourism, and we have been working tirelessly with our industry and stakeholders to play our part in creating a more sustainable city,” said Gerry Lennon, chief executive at Visit Belfast.
“Our performance in the GDS-Index reflects the collaborative efforts of Visit Belfast, Belfast City Council, and our tourism industry partners to accelerate action on sustainability.”
