Array
(
[id] => 178
[active] => 1
[city_id] => 87
[city_name] => Gent
[contact_name] => Bart
[contact_surname] => Rondas
[contact_email] => Bart.Rondas@stad.gent
[organisation] => Visit Ghent
[website] => https://visit.gent.be/en
[environmental_description] => Gent city boasts a car free zone of 51 ha in the center of town and coincides with one of the tourism policy areas too. The circulation plan introduced in 2017 realized a modal shift from car to walking, cycling and public transport. Since 2020, a low emission zone covers the whole inner city. This will further enhance the quality of air and urban life, and increase the tourist experience in the city.
[social_description] => A progressive city at heart, Gent city council runs several programs combatting unemployment, social exclusion, poverty or housing shortage. It stimulates social and economic integration of all its inhabitants, by several actions promoting inclusion and inclusiveness.
[supplier_description] => Two of the three purpose built meeting and convention centers in Gent are green key certified.
The 'Gentse Feesten', our ten day free cultural street festival, introduced the re-usable drinking cup. This prevents us to throw away 1.6 million plastic cups.
[dmo_description] => Gent is a compact but ambitious city in Flanders, which embraces the future whilst cherishing its past.
Sustainable Development Goals are embedded in our organization. In 2018 Gent gained both the SDG Award on Communication by the UN and the Fair & Ethical Trade Award of the European Commission.
Our tourism policy continuously seeks to allow smart growth by spreading tourism in time and space and by enhancing tourism experience. We try to attract the right tourist to the right place at the right moment. Hence growth is not a goal in itself, but a result of adding urbanity to the city. We believe that tourism growth as an outcome of more Gent does not harm the carrying capacity of the built environment nor of the inhabitants.
[logo] => https://omni.gds.earth/storage/public_website/destination_logos/jQ1FzegD8cgASuT9TGPWWxLQFokZctbc6B5x9eMQ.jpeg
[video] => JRd6PVK6E9k
[img_1] => https://omni.gds.earth/storage/public_website/destination_photos/5d6e0650f1818.jpg
[img_2] => https://omni.gds.earth/storage/public_website/destination_photos/5d6e12fbaf326.jpg
[img_3] => https://omni.gds.earth/storage/public_website/destination_photos/5d6e14cd038c9.jpg
[img_4] => https://omni.gds.earth/storage/public_website/destination_photos/5d6e15e156238.jpg
[img_5] => https://omni.gds.earth/storage/public_website/destination_photos/5d6f6cb126337.jpg
[high_env_1] => 18.4
[high_env_2] => 57
[high_env_3] => 3815
[high_soc_1] => 79
[high_soc_2] => 89
[high_soc_3] => 75
[high_sup_1] => 26
[high_sup_2] => 67
[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] => 2021-01-08 12:02:31
[updated_at] => 2022-11-15 12:01:22
[year] => 2020
)
Array
(
[id] => 178
[year] => 2020
[city_id] => 87
[city_name] => Gent
[score_type] => city
[Total] => 63.47
[Total_rank] => 14
[Environment] => 77.05
[Environment_rank] => 5
[Social] => 81.08
[Social_rank] => 4
[Supplier] => 50
[Supplier_rank] => 14
[DMO] => 50
[DMO_rank] => 15
[longitude] => 3.717424299999948
[latitude] => 51.0543422
[population] => 263703
[country] => Belgium
[region] => Western Europe
[created_at] => 2020-12-05 00:00:18
[updated_at] => 2022-04-22 06:00:18
)
Gent 2020 GDS-Index Report
Gent, Belgium
2020 Performance Overview
DMO
Supplier
Social
Environmental
Performance Highlights
Summary
Environmental
Supplier
Social
Gent is a compact but ambitious city in Flanders, which embraces the future whilst cherishing its past.
Sustainable Development Goals are embedded in our organization. In 2018 Gent gained both the SDG Award on Communication by the UN and the Fair & Ethical Trade Award of the European Commission.
Our tourism policy continuously seeks to allow smart growth by spreading tourism in time and space and by enhancing tourism experience. We try to attract the right tourist to the right place at the right moment. Hence growth is not a goal in itself, but a result of adding urbanity to the city. We believe that tourism growth as an outcome of more Gent does not harm the carrying capacity of the built environment nor of the inhabitants.
Gent city boasts a car free zone of 51 ha in the center of town and coincides with one of the tourism policy areas too. The circulation plan introduced in 2017 realized a modal shift from car to walking, cycling and public transport. Since 2020, a low emission zone covers the whole inner city. This will further enhance the quality of air and urban life, and increase the tourist experience in the city.
Two of the three purpose built meeting and convention centers in Gent are green key certified.
The 'Gentse Feesten', our ten day free cultural street festival, introduced the re-usable drinking cup. This prevents us to throw away 1.6 million plastic cups.
A progressive city at heart, Gent city council runs several programs combatting unemployment, social exclusion, poverty or housing shortage. It stimulates social and economic integration of all its inhabitants, by several actions promoting inclusion and inclusiveness.
Summary
Gent is a compact but ambitious city in Flanders, which embraces the future whilst cherishing its past.
Sustainable Development Goals are embedded in our organization. In 2018 Gent gained both the SDG Award on Communication by the UN and the Fair & Ethical Trade Award of the European Commission.
Our tourism policy continuously seeks to allow smart growth by spreading tourism in time and space and by enhancing tourism experience. We try to attract the right tourist to the right place at the right moment. Hence growth is not a goal in itself, but a result of adding urbanity to the city. We believe that tourism growth as an outcome of more Gent does not harm the carrying capacity of the built environment nor of the inhabitants.
Does Visit Ghent have a Sustainability Strategy?
Does Gent have a sustainable destination certificate?
Does Visit Ghent report on its sustainability performance?
Environmental
Gent city boasts a car free zone of 51 ha in the center of town and coincides with one of the tourism policy areas too. The circulation plan introduced in 2017 realized a modal shift from car to walking, cycling and public transport. Since 2020, a low emission zone covers the whole inner city. This will further enhance the quality of air and urban life, and increase the tourist experience in the city.
OF ELECTRICITY FROM RENEWABLES
HECTARES OF GREEN AREA PER 100 000 POPULATION
Supplier
Two of the three purpose built meeting and convention centers in Gent are green key certified.
The 'Gentse Feesten', our ten day free cultural street festival, introduced the re-usable drinking cup. This prevents us to throw away 1.6 million plastic cups.
OF HOTEL ROOMS SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFIED
OF VENUES SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFIED
OF PCOS/DMCS SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFIED
Social
A progressive city at heart, Gent city council runs several programs combatting unemployment, social exclusion, poverty or housing shortage. It stimulates social and economic integration of all its inhabitants, by several actions promoting inclusion and inclusiveness.
79
SDG IMPLEMENTATION SCORE
89
SCORE ON SOCIAL PROGRESS INDEX
75
SCORE ON CORRUPTION PERCEPTION INDEX
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.
