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GDS-Consulting
Does your sustainability strategy need help?
Let us support your competitive edge!
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#GDSINDEX2021
Who will win?
We'll announce this year's GDS-Index Leadership, Most-Improved, and GDS-Movement Innovation awards at ICCA Congress 2021
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It's always
TIME TO REGENERATE!
Benchmark your destination to receive insights and shape your strategy for regeneration
I want to participate!
Introducing
GDS-Academy
Developing skillsets, tool sets and mindsets for a regenerative future
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GDS-Academy
Certificate in Regenerative Destination Management
Learn how to transform your visitor economy. Sustainably.
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The GDS-Index
Methodology
Benchmarking destinations to create a regenerative tourism industry
View our Methodology
Advanced Search
Explore the benchmarking results of the past years using our new search and compare tool
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#ICCAcongress2021
The 60th ICCA Congress
What do business events of the future look like right now? Find out 24 - 27 October
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The GDS-Movement unites and enables destination management professionals to create flourishing and resilient places to visit, meet and live in. Our mission is to co-create sustainable and circular strategies, mindsets and skill sets that will enable destinations of the future to thrive, and society and nature to regenerate.

What do we do?

We work with pioneering municipalities, national/regional destination management organisations, and convention bureaux, to co-create their tourism and events strategies, benchmark and improve their sustainability performance, and transform their value chains in order to catalyse regeneration.

GDS-Index
GDS-Index
The GDS-Index is the leading sustainability benchmarking and improvement programme for destinations around the world. It is used to assess current social and environmental performance of a destination, and then to drive improved performance. It is a powerful tool for clients to assess the sustainability of destinations to visit or meet in.
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GDS-Consulting
GDS-Consulting
Having worked with over 78 destinations, we understand the journey needed to transform a destination’s visitor economy into a regenerative force. Our role is to support destination management organisations on this journey, helping to define a vision and strategy, build capacity, engage stakeholders, and communicate efforts.
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GDS-Forum
GDS-Forum
The GDS-Forum is a meeting of minds that brings together tourism and event management professionals to exchange knowledge, share best practices and stimulate innovation about the creation, management and marketing of more regenerative, resilient and sustainable destinations.
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GDS-Academy
GDS-Academy
The GDS-Academy provides leading-edge training for event and destination management professionals to turn sustainability concepts into action. Check out our upcoming courses to stay ahead of the curve and learn about regenerative systems thinking and operational practices.
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GDS-Insights
GDS-Insights
We analyse the latest trends and research new opportunities to produce fresh insights that guide decision making and catalyse transformation towards a sustainable and regenerative future.
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Find your sustainableDestination
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Latest Insights
Blog
Sarawak as First Malaysian State to Join Global Destination Sustainability Index
Blog
Sarawak as First Malaysian State to Join Global Destination Sustainability Index
Sarawak is joining the Global Destination Sustainability Index (GDS-Index) for Business Events and Tourism by launching the GDSI Partnership Programme.
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24 August 2021
263 Views
Blog
Liverpool city is blooming marvellous as it commences GDS-Indexing
Blog
Liverpool city is blooming marvellous as it commences GDS-Indexing
After declaring a climate emergency in 2019, and initiating 2030 Hub, Liverpool now joins the GDS-Index 2021 to guide its path towards net zero and delivering a more sustainable and inclusive economy.
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23 August 2021
185 Views
Blog
Edmonton casts a new ray of sunshine as it joins Global Destination Sustainability Index
Blog
Edmonton casts a new ray of sunshine as it joins Global Destination Sustainability Index
Set in the sunniest province in Canada, Edmonton is fast-growing and fast-learning.  It has just joined GDS-Index to be benchmarked for responsible and regenerative tourism under Explore Edmonton, a Climate Smart-Certified marketing organisation. 
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19 August 2021
180 Views
Blog
We are recruiting!
Blog
We are recruiting!
The GDS-Movement is looking for a Sustainability Consultant, with experience in the events and tourism industry.
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3 August 2021
1574 Views
Blog
Marseille’s biodiversity and sustainability endeavours won it the IUCN World Conservation Congress
Blog
Marseille’s biodiversity and sustainability endeavours won it the IUCN World Conservation Congress
I spoke to Pascale Bigo, Manager of the Aix Marseille Provence Convention Bureau, about the epic win for the city and how it has transformed their perceptions of what the city’s natural and social assets are.
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28 June 2021
529 Views
Blog
The 2021 GDS-Index criteria has launched.
Blog
The 2021 GDS-Index criteria has launched.
A fresh round of criteria for the GDS-index has today gone live, all ready for revision before the OMNI platform opens for participating destinations on June 1st.
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24 May 2021
933 Views
“The GDSM is a fantastic initiative that motivates and inspires our destination and stakeholders to engage in sustainable practices. It is a movement that meets destinations where they are and manages to consider the uniqueness and different prerequisites of the cities, its surroundings and its tourism operators. Besides that, it has given us a platform to monitor our progress and a place to showcase our successes and our position in the market in terms of sustainable tourism management.”
Victoria Barton - Project Manager, VisitAalborg
The GDSM is an inspiring gathering of destinations, driven by the same strong desire to become more sustainable. This powerful network of determined, highly-qualified professionals, helps us build a greener global industry. The benchmarking platform is an efficient tool to identify a destination's strength and its weaknesses, and improve its actions for the years to come.
Amélie Déchénais - Convention Bureau Manager, Bordeaux
The GDS-Index is a unique example of how collaboration, including the sharing of best practices and expertise, can improve performance of destinations for the benefit of both our clients and local communities. It has provided us with opportunities and inspiration that has helped position Copenhagen as a leader in sustainable practices.
Kit Lykketoft - Director of Convention, Copenhagen