Congratulations to the 2024 GDS-Awards’ Winners!
The Global Destination Sustainability Movement (GDS-Movement) is thrilled to announce the winners of the prestigious 2024 GDS-Awards. The ceremony, held at the Bruges Royal Municipal Theatre during the GDS-Forum & CityDNA Autumn Conference on the evening of 16 October, recognised destinations raising the bar of sustainability, innovation, and long-lasting positive impact in the global tourism and events industry.
There are four award categories:
– the Leadership Award, based on GDS-Index ranking,
– the Most Improved Destination Award, based on year-on-year GDS-Index scores,
– the Innovation Award, selected by an independent panel of industry experts , and
– the Impact Award in collaboration with #MEET4IMPACT, also selected by an external panel of industry experts
Each award highlights exemplary efforts to foster a more regenerative approach to tourism and events that not only reduces environmental harm but contributes to the well-being of the local community and economy.
2024 GDS-Awards’ Winners are:
– The Leadership Award Winner: Helsinki, Finland
– The Most Improved Destination Award Winner: Kumamoto, Japan
– The Innovation Award Winner: Copenhagen, Denmark, for its “CopenPay” initiative
– The GDS-Movement and #MEET4IMPACT Impact Award Winner Copenhagen, Denmark, for its “Copenhagen Legacy Lab” programme
(Not included in this video) The GDS-Movement and CityDNA Partner of the Year Award is given to a partner showing outstanding commitment to the principles of regeneration: collaboration, continual improvement, and commitment. We awarded it to the GDS-Forum host city for 2024, Bruges. You can find out more about Bruges sustainability here: https://www.gds.earth/blog/announcing-the-host-city-for-the-2024-gds-forum/#:~:text=Bruges%20boasts%20a,and%20radical%20collaboration.
Guy Bigwood, CEO of GDS-Movement, remarked: “This year’s GDS-Awards’ winners and finalists are redefining the role of tourism by showcasing its potential as a driving force for regeneration and social impact. We are thrilled to honour these pioneering destinations from Europe, Asia, North America, and beyond, all leading with innovative sustainability projects that are reshaping the global industry. These initiatives reflect a fundamental shift in how the visitor economy is understood and managed. They emphasise the power of collaboration to foster meaningful change, setting a new standard for others to follow.”
The 2024 GDS-Awards highlighted the breadth of transformation and impact within the global tourism industry. Each winner exemplifies how destinations can move beyond traditional sustainability efforts to create regenerative systems that benefit not just visitors, but residents, ecosystems, and economies. This year the awards were judged by a distinguished panel of industry experts from across the globe.
For more, please visit https://www.gds.earth