GDS-Awards
Explore the GDS-Awards: Leadership, Most Improved Destination, Innovation, and Impact (in collaboration with #MEET4IMPACT) and its winners.
GDS-Awards is an annual recognition of excellence in destination leadership, innovation, improvement, and legacy initiatives. GDS-Awards recognises outstanding contributions and innovative practices through:
- the ‘Leadership Destination’ based on GDS-Index ranking,
- the ‘Most Improved Destination’ based on year-on-year GDS-Index benchmarking results,
- 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.
The GDS-Awards ceremony brings together the GDS-Movement, its partners, destinations, and the host community in an inspiring celebration. It serves as a prestigious platform to honour the remarkable achievements of the winners. Apart from being acknowledged during the GDS-Awards ceremony, winners are featured in the annual GDS-Index report, in the GDS-Index results media outreach, and have the opportunity to present their winning initiatives at the GDS-Movement Feeling the Pulse webinar.
This year, the GDS-Index results and the Leadership and Most Improved Destinations have been recognised during our online ceremony on 23 September 2025.
The Innovation and Impact Award will open soon. The winner will be revealed at the GDS-Forum 2026, taking place in June (TBC).
MOST IMPROVED DESTINATION
The Most Improved Destination is recognised for the greatest year-on year growth in sustainability contributions, based on GDS-Index's vetted and verified benchmarking data.
LEADERSHIP DESTINATION
The Leadership Destination is recognised for making the greatest overall contributions to social, environmental, and economic well-being, based on our independently validated data set.
IMPACT AWARD
The new GDS-Movement and #MEET4IMPACT Impact Award acknowledges and celebrates a destination management organisation committed to legacy and impact through business events. It is a collaborative initiative developed by GDS-Movement and #MEET4IMPACT.
INNOVATION AWARD
The Innovation Award recognises and showcases a destination using innovative solutions to drive sustainability performance.
- By Years
- By Awards
- All awards
- All years
LEADERSHIP DESTINATION
2025
Helsinki strengthened its leadership in sustainability, increasing its score to 93.52% and ranking first in Environment, Social, and Supplier categories. It became the first major city to achieve Green Destinations Certification, expanded climate action with new research and partnerships, and completed its first social carrying capacity study to guide visitor management.
MOST IMPROVED DESTINATION
2025
Adelaide advanced governance, supplier engagement, and sustainability. As the Southern Hemisphere’s first National Park City, it launched South Australia’s Sustainability Roadmap, integrated circular economy and climate strategies, and improved liveability through green spaces and mobility, while the Adelaide Convention Centre achieved EarthCheck’s Master Certification, showcasing long-term sustainable leadership.
IMPACT AWARD
2024
The "Copenhagen Legacy Lab” programme, developed to create long-term beneficial impact from visiting congresses and events. The framework is built on extensive research, a Theory of Change, and the European Union Commission’s “Social Impact Measurement”. All research and tools are open source to support a legacy- and impact-driven movement.
INNOVATION AWARD
2024
The “CopenPay” initiative, designed to influence visitors to act more sustainably by rewarding them for their climate-friendly actions while in Copenhagen. By choosing sustainable transport or collecting rubbish etc., tourists earn rewards like access to complimentary guided museum tours, free kayak rentals, and free vegetarian lunches.
MOST IMPROVED DESTINATION
2024
Kumamoto International Convention and Tourism Bureau demonstrated remarkable progress driven by its improved ability to set clear sustainability objectives and indicators. The promotion of a circular economy to suppliers and the implementation of its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) training programme have also significantly contributed to this progress.
LEADERSHIP DESTINATION
2024
The city’s integrated approach to sustainability spans tourism and governance, with projects such as the Urban Climate Leaders in Tourism group, and a comprehensive biodiversity strategy. Helsinki’s clear commitment to achieving carbon neutrality for the destination and net zero for its events by 2040, along with its focus on engaging residents in decision-making processes, sets it apart as a climate action and urban sustainability trailblazer..
MOST IMPROVED DESTINATION
2023
The Most Improved Destination Award goes to the destination that has made the greatest increase in its GDS-Index score from the previous year. This is independent of its ranking. The city of Liverpool, United Kingdom, represented by Liverpool Convention Bureau, wins the 2023 Most Improved Destination Award for the greatest growth in sustainability contributions by a destination.
LEADERSHIP DESTINATION
2023
The Leadership Award goes to the destination scoring the highest on the year's GDS-Index, demonstrating its continual commitment, inspired vision, prompt action, and measurable impacts. The city of Gothenburg, Sweden, represented by Göteborg & Co, wins the 2023 Leadership Award for the seventh time, for the greatest contributions to social, environmental, and economic well-being in a destination.
INNOVATION AWARD
2023
The Innovation Award recognises and showcases a destination using innovative solutions to drive sustainability performance. The city of Washington DC, United States of America, represented by Destination DC at Washington DC, wins the 2023 Innovation Award for the "Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Business Fellowship".
IMPACT AWARD
2023
The new GDS-Movement and #MEET4IMPACT Impact Award acknowledges and celebrates a destination management organisation committed to legacy and impact through business events. It is a collaborative initiative developed by GDS-Movement and #MEET4IMPACT. The city of Sydney, Australia, represented by BESydney (Business Events Sydney), wins the 2023 GDS-Movement and #Meet4Impact Impact Award for the "BESydney Impact Programme".
MOST IMPROVED DESTINATION
2022
MOST IMPROVED DESTINATION
2021
Office du Tourisme & des Congres du Grand Lyon
