Array
(
    [id] => 195
    [active] => 1
    [city_id] => 25
    [city_name] => Aarhus
    [contact_name] => Lone Bak
    [contact_surname] => Kirk
    [contact_email] => lbk@visitaarhus.com
    [organisation] => VisitAarhus
    [website] => https://www.visitaarhusconvention.com/knowledge-and-networks
    [environmental_description] => The City of Aarhus has set its sights firmly on achieving CO2 neutrality by 2030. With high levels of waste recycling, renewable energy and public transportation availability, Aarhus is doing its part for a more sustainable future. The City also has a range of excellent hotels and conference venues where awareness of sustainability is increasingly on the agenda. With a compact city center, hotels and venues lie side by side and everything is within walking distance - a vibrant city life with restaurants, shopping, museums and cultural experiences - just waiting for you to explore them! In 2017 Aarhus was the European Capital of Culture, and one of the core values surrounding development in Aarhus that year was based on the Aarhus Sustainability Model
    [social_description] => SUSTAINABILITY, DIVERSITY AND DEMOCRACY. Three core values describing Aarhus - the second largest city in a country listed in the highest echelons of the world's leading rankings including: Least corrupt country/ Most prosperous country/ Most safe country/ Happiest people/ Human Capital Index and the Best Country for Women. Denmark also ranks highly in metrics of national performance including/ education, health care, protection of civil liberties, democratic governance, prosperity and human development.
    [supplier_description] => It's easy to hold an event with an eye for sustainability in Aarhus! More than 60 percent of the hotel rooms hold an official eco-certification. The city’s convention venues are also certified, and everything is within walking distance. The DMO works actively to inspire the city’s meetings industry and conference hosts to go green - providing hosts with information about the ambitious work with sustainability, conducted by the destination's hotels, congress centers, and restaurants.
    [dmo_description] => Actions speaks louder than words - and the climate changes require action! But to make the actions have an impact, a DMO cannot walk alone. In Aarhus we have formed a close, strategic collaboration between the key stakeholders (Aarhus University, the DMO, the Municipality and Aarhus Events). As a result a Green Handbook for Events and Conferences was published and is free and accessible to all.
We believe that a hands-on approach combined with a strategic collaboration is the best way to act and to make an impact.
It should not be difficult to choose a more sustainable option - it should be the natural choice. We hope our approach can inspire others!
    [logo] => https://omni.gds.earth/storage/public_website/destination_logos/vp8nVVOo5iRXWjqETTMGbvAGGpysoGXaT5fUwHcc.jpeg
    [video] => k3BGjwKOZG8
    [img_1] => https://omni.gds.earth/storage/public_website/destination_photos/wGGwfdbdUI9VEVThVLfF7C8vYFgjSkW1e0uI97VJ.jpg
    [img_2] => https://omni.gds.earth/storage/public_website/destination_photos/5b99b20603520.jpg
    [img_3] => https://omni.gds.earth/storage/public_website/destination_photos/5daef53843507.jpg
    [img_4] => https://omni.gds.earth/storage/public_website/destination_photos/5daef53856b6d.jpg
    [img_5] => 
    [high_env_1] => 76
    [high_env_2] => 65
    [high_env_3] => 2378
    [high_soc_1] => 84.9
    [high_soc_2] => 92.11
    [high_soc_3] => 88
    [high_sup_1] => 72
    [high_sup_2] => 100
    [high_sup_3] => 0
    [high_dmo_1] => Sustainability vision and action plan established for events,Sustainability vision and action plan established for tourism,Multi year strategy (+3 years),Aligned to the city's overall development agenda (not just tourism and events),Aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Goals
    [high_dmo_2] => 0
    [high_dmo_3] => None
    [created_at] => 2021-10-26 12:01:37
    [updated_at] => 2023-10-06 12:01:37
    [year] => 2021
)
Array
(
    [id] => 195
    [year] => 2021
    [city_id] => 25
    [city_name] => Aarhus
    [score_type] => city
    [Total] => 82.47
    [Total_rank] => 3
    [Environment] => 90.48
    [Environment_rank] => 3
    [Social] => 92.5
    [Social_rank] => 2
    [Supplier] => 65
    [Supplier_rank] => 9
    [DMO] => 80.69
    [DMO_rank] => 7
    [longitude] => 10.203921000000037
    [latitude] => 56.162939
    [population] => 350000
    [country] => Denmark
    [region] => Nordic
    [created_at] => 2021-10-26 12:00:36
    [updated_at] => 2023-08-15 12:00:19
)
Aarhus 2021 GDS-Index Report
2021 Performance Overview
DMO
Supplier
Social
Environmental
Performance Highlights
Summary
Environmental
Supplier
Social
Actions speaks louder than words - and the climate changes require action! But to make the actions have an impact, a DMO cannot walk alone. In Aarhus we have formed a close, strategic collaboration between the key stakeholders (Aarhus University, the DMO, the Municipality and Aarhus Events). As a result a Green Handbook for Events and Conferences was published and is free and accessible to all. We believe that a hands-on approach combined with a strategic collaboration is the best way to act and to make an impact. It should not be difficult to choose a more sustainable option - it should be the natural choice. We hope our approach can inspire others!
The City of Aarhus has set its sights firmly on achieving CO2 neutrality by 2030. With high levels of waste recycling, renewable energy and public transportation availability, Aarhus is doing its part for a more sustainable future. The City also has a range of excellent hotels and conference venues where awareness of sustainability is increasingly on the agenda. With a compact city center, hotels and venues lie side by side and everything is within walking distance - a vibrant city life with restaurants, shopping, museums and cultural experiences - just waiting for you to explore them! In 2017 Aarhus was the European Capital of Culture, and one of the core values surrounding development in Aarhus that year was based on the Aarhus Sustainability Model
It's easy to hold an event with an eye for sustainability in Aarhus! More than 60 percent of the hotel rooms hold an official eco-certification. The city’s convention venues are also certified, and everything is within walking distance. The DMO works actively to inspire the city’s meetings industry and conference hosts to go green - providing hosts with information about the ambitious work with sustainability, conducted by the destination's hotels, congress centers, and restaurants.
SUSTAINABILITY, DIVERSITY AND DEMOCRACY. Three core values describing Aarhus - the second largest city in a country listed in the highest echelons of the world's leading rankings including: Least corrupt country/ Most prosperous country/ Most safe country/ Happiest people/ Human Capital Index and the Best Country for Women. Denmark also ranks highly in metrics of national performance including/ education, health care, protection of civil liberties, democratic governance, prosperity and human development.
Summary
Actions speaks louder than words - and the climate changes require action! But to make the actions have an impact, a DMO cannot walk alone. In Aarhus we have formed a close, strategic collaboration between the key stakeholders (Aarhus University, the DMO, the Municipality and Aarhus Events). As a result a Green Handbook for Events and Conferences was published and is free and accessible to all. We believe that a hands-on approach combined with a strategic collaboration is the best way to act and to make an impact. It should not be difficult to choose a more sustainable option - it should be the natural choice. We hope our approach can inspire others!
Does VisitAarhus have a Sustainability Strategy?
Does Aarhus have a sustainable destination certificate?
Does VisitAarhus report on its sustainability performance?
Environmental
The City of Aarhus has set its sights firmly on achieving CO2 neutrality by 2030. With high levels of waste recycling, renewable energy and public transportation availability, Aarhus is doing its part for a more sustainable future. The City also has a range of excellent hotels and conference venues where awareness of sustainability is increasingly on the agenda. With a compact city center, hotels and venues lie side by side and everything is within walking distance - a vibrant city life with restaurants, shopping, museums and cultural experiences - just waiting for you to explore them! In 2017 Aarhus was the European Capital of Culture, and one of the core values surrounding development in Aarhus that year was based on the Aarhus Sustainability Model
OF ELECTRICITY FROM RENEWABLES
OF WASTE RECYCLED
2378 ha
HECTARES OF GREEN AREA PER 100 000 POPULATION
Supplier
It's easy to hold an event with an eye for sustainability in Aarhus! More than 60 percent of the hotel rooms hold an official eco-certification. The city’s convention venues are also certified, and everything is within walking distance. The DMO works actively to inspire the city’s meetings industry and conference hosts to go green - providing hosts with information about the ambitious work with sustainability, conducted by the destination's hotels, congress centers, and restaurants.
OF HOTEL ROOMS SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFIED
OF VENUES SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFIED
OF PCOS/DMCS SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFIED
Social
SUSTAINABILITY, DIVERSITY AND DEMOCRACY. Three core values describing Aarhus - the second largest city in a country listed in the highest echelons of the world's leading rankings including: Least corrupt country/ Most prosperous country/ Most safe country/ Happiest people/ Human Capital Index and the Best Country for Women. Denmark also ranks highly in metrics of national performance including/ education, health care, protection of civil liberties, democratic governance, prosperity and human development.
85
SDG IMPLEMENTATION SCORE
92
SCORE ON SOCIAL PROGRESS INDEX
88
SCORE ON CORRUPTION PERCEPTION INDEX
Compare another
Destination

About the Global Destination Sustainability Movement

The Global Destination Sustainability Movement (GDSM) brings together the sustainability pioneers of the business and leisure tourism world, working with destinations to co-create their tourism and events strategies, benchmark and improve their sustainability performance and transform value chains in order to catalyse regeneration.

Our purpose is to engage, inspire and enable the business events and tourism industry to become more sustainable and regenerative.

 

Our Methodology

In 2022 the GDS-Index used 70 indicators that evaluate destinations sustainability performance across four key areas. If you are interested, you can read our benchmarking methodology in detail here.

Environmental
Performance

Climate, Energy and Emissions​

Circularity and Waste​

Water​

Air Quality​

Transportation​

Biodiversity​

Social
Performance

SDG Alignment ​

Corruption​

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion​

Health, Safety and Wellness​

Accessibility ​

Resident Engagement​

Supplier
Performance

Hotels​

Airport​

Agencies (PCOs & DMCs)​

Restaurants​

Venues​

Academia​

Destination
Management
Performance

Destination Strategy​

Governance and Reporting​

Policy and Certification​

Capacity Building​

Measurement, Impact and Reporting​

Marketing and Communications​

Diversity, Equality and Inclusion​

Ownership

The GDS­M is not owned by any one organisation. It is operated as a multi-­stakeholder partnership founded and endorsed by IMEX, MCI, the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) and City Destinations Alliance (CityDNA). Gubi Consulting and Guy Bigwood are responsible for the management of the Secretariat.

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