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 Award´ based on GDS-Index ranking,
- the ´Most Improved Destination Award´ 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 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 winners of the Leadership and Most Improved Destination Awards will be announced during an online ceremony on 23 September 2025.
The Innovation and Impact Award will open for entries on 6 October 2025, with a submission deadline of 1 December 2025. The winner will be revealed at the GDS-Forum 2026, taking place in late February or early March (TBC).
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.
MOST IMPROVED AWARD
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.
INNOVATION AWARD
The Innovation Award recognises and showcases a destination using innovative solutions to drive sustainability performance.
LEADERSHIP AWARD
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.
- By Years
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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 AWARD
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 AWARD
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 AWARD
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 AWARD
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 AWARD
2022
MOST IMPROVED DESTINATION AWARD
2021
Office du Tourisme & des Congres du Grand Lyon
