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Belfast, United Kingdom

Contact: Jac Callan

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The GDS-Index is a destination-level programme that measures, benchmarks, and improves the sustainability strategy and performance of tourism and events destinations.

The GDS-Index is aligned with international standards; UN SDGs, GSTC Destination Criteria, UNWTO.

Click here to read more about the benchmarking methodology including data collection and verification, the four benchmarking categories, governance and criteria development and performance scoring methods.

This page highlights each destinations sustainability journey and will showcase their journey.

Performance Overview

The 2023 GDS-Index comprises 69 indicators across four categories. Here is the total score and the score for the four categories for this destination.

Total

0%

Environmental

Social

Supplier

Destination Management Organisation

Environmental

Includes a city's performance pertaining to its policies and infrastructure, such as climate change commitment, carbon emissions, renewable energies, resource and water management, public transport, and air pollution levels.

Social

Indicates the performance of the city against indicators of SDG integration, Corruption, Personal Safety, Access to Information and Communications, Health and Wellness, and Inclusivity, using external sources such as the Social Progress Imperative Index, and Corruption Perceptions Index.

Supplier

Addresses the sustainability commitment and performance of the local meetings' industry supply chain, including airports, events agencies, hotels, venues, and restaurants.

Destination Management Organisation

Indicates the sustainability commitment, including questions pertaining to maturity of a destination's sustainability and regeneration strategy, leadership, communication of sustainability initiatives (to support client planners), and the accuracy of their reporting on sustainability operations.

Sustainability Journey

Summary
Environmental
Supplier
Social

Belfast launched its Resilience Strategy, the city’s first climate plan in December 2020. It sets out 30 transformational programmes to transition Belfast to an inclusive, zero-emissions, climate-resilient economy within a generation. As the city’s Destination Marketing Organisation (DMO), Visit Belfast is playing a key role supporting Belfast’s ambition. In partnership with Belfast City Council, we have committed to the development of a sustainable tourism strategy as one of the resilience strategy transformational programmes. It is within this context that Visit Belfast has launched its sustainability strategy, policy and action plan.

Does Visit Belfast and Belfast City Council have a Sustainability Strategy?

Does Belfast have a sustainable destination certificate?

Does Visit Belfast and Belfast City Council report on its sustainability performance?

In October 2019 Belfast City Council's elected members declared a climate emergency and launched commitments that: - Council becomes a carbon neutral organisation as soon as possible - Belfast's carbon emissions are reduced by 80% against 2005 levels - Work would commence towards a climate adaption and mitigation plan. Co-Chaired by BCC and Queen's University, Belfast's Climate Commission was established in December 2019. This Commission is one of 3 city-based commissions across the UK (with Leeds and Edinburgh) to translate climate policy into action on the ground.

51%

OF ELECTRICITY
FROM RENEWABLES

38%

OF WASTE
RECYCLED

675 ha

HECTARES OF GREEN
AREA PER 100 000
POPULATION

Visit Belfast in its three year strategy will transform its approach to meetings and events. Its programme includes: - 30% of all 2022 business events will have a legacy plan - increasing to 80% by 2025 - 30% of all 2022 business events will have a sustainability plan - increasing to 80% by 2025 - Launch of a sustainable events framework - Appointment of a new sustainability and impact manager within the business events team to support clients and industry - A fully funded certification scheme by BCC and Green Tourism to increase sustainability credentials of its tourism and hospitality industry across the city - the largest Green Tourism partnership with a city - Launch of Sustainable Choices toolkit and resources to help clients deliver more sustainable and impactful events in Belfast

81%

OF HOTEL ROOMS
SUSTAINABILITY
CERTIFIED

100%

OF VENUES
SUSTAINABILITY
CERTIFIED

45%

OF PCOS/DMCS
SUSTAINABILITY
CERTIFIED

Belfast's Resilience Strategy is aligned with the 17 UN sustainability goals. Belfast performs largely within the expected range for social sustainability on the Social Progress Index.

SDG IMPLEMENTATION SCORE

SCORE ON SOCIAL PROGRESS INDEX

SCORE ON CORRUPTION PERCEPTION INDEX

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