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.
The 2024 GDS-Index comprises 77 indicators across four categories. Here is the total score and the score for the four categories for this destination.
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.
Founded in 1966, the Marseille Tourism, Leisure and Convention Bureau has been working for nearly six decades to welcome visitors and promote the city of Marseille, both in France and internationally. From the Football World Cup in 1998 to the Olympic Games in 2024, not to mention the European Capital of Culture in 2013, Marseille has established itself as a must-see destination, attracting growing numbers of visitors drawn by the richness of its heritage, the uniqueness of its culture and the appeal of its territory. At the heart of this transformation, the Tourist Office has always played a leading role, supporting the development of tourism in close collaboration with local professionals and players. On December 16, 2022, the Marseille City Council voted in favor of a new roadmap for sustainable and inclusive tourism. On the basis of an in-depth diagnosis, the City has set a course for 2030: At a time when tourist areas are facing major challenges - adapting to climate change, managing tourist flows, preserving local natural and cultural wealth - the Tourist Office is emerging as a genuine facilitator of tourism transition. In addition to its traditional missions of promoting and welcoming visitors, it plays a central role in structuring a coherent and sustainable tourism ecosystem, in line with the town's priorities. By mobilizing local players, fostering synergies and supporting a reasoned dynamic, the teams at the Tourist Office actively contribute every day to making Marseille a destination of excellence. A destination that combines attractiveness, resource conservation and improved quality of life for its inhabitants.
Does Office de Tourisme des Loisirs et des Congrès de Marseille - Aix Marseille Provence Convention Bureau have a Sustainability Strategy?
Does Marseille have a sustainable destination certificate?
Does Office de Tourisme des Loisirs et des Congrès de Marseille - Aix Marseille Provence Convention Bureau report on its sustainability performance?
Marseille reinforces its leadership in ecological transition by obtaining the European label "100 climate-neutral and intelligent cities by 2030". This distinction rewards an ambitious strategy: a global action plan for carbon neutrality, accompanied by structuring investments. The City of Marseille is proud to actively contribute to the European program "One hundred carbon-neutral cities by 2030", thus affirming its determination to accelerate the sustainable transformation of its territory. A responsible tourist destination, driving inclusive growth By reconciling attractiveness and respect for the environment, Marseille has opted for sustainable tourism, creating lasting jobs and benefiting everyone. Thanks to an accelerated ecological transition of its offer, the city is establishing itself as a model in the Mediterranean, proving that economic performance and resource preservation go hand in hand. An authentic, year-round experience With a rich and varied cultural, events and sports program, Marseille balances its tourist flows and energizes its territory in all seasons. Marseillais are rediscovering their city, while visitors are enjoying a lively nightlife, an enhanced heritage and a preserved natural environment accessible to all. The city's maritime assets, now better shared, enrich the experience of a destination resolutely focused on the future.
OF ELECTRICITY
FROM RENEWABLES
THE CITY’S
2030 CARBON
REDUCTION TARGET
HECTARES OF GREEN
AREA PER 100 000
POPULATION
Marseille, a laboratory for innovative and responsible business tourism Innovation and shared knowledge as DNA Marseille is reinventing its approach to tourism by placing the anticipation of trends and co-construction at the heart of its strategy. Thanks to an ongoing dialogue with industry professionals, the city is positioning itself as an agile, creative and forward-looking destination. Business tourism, a gas pedal of change Now focused on positive impact, Marseille's business tourism sector is actively participating in this virtuous dynamic. Our aim? To transform every event into a lever for social and environmental progress. Our roadmap for sustainable and exemplary tourism Integrate sustainability right from the design stage Make eco-responsibility the central pillar of event organization. Turning commitments into actions Implement concrete, visible and shared actions for total transparency. Inspire change Raise awareness and mobilize participants around ethical practices, so that the positive impact lasts well beyond the event. In Marseille, we don't just talk about the future - we build it, together.
OF HOTEL ROOMS
SUSTAINABILITY
CERTIFIED
OF VENUES
SUSTAINABILITY
CERTIFIED
OF PCOS/DMCS
SUSTAINABILITY
CERTIFIED
Marseille, a destination where authenticity and inclusion create exception Its first ambassadors? The people of Marseille themselves. Proud of their city, they passionately share its unique energy, helping to forge a true and memorable experience for every visitor. A diverse and accessible range of tourist accommodation has been designed to suit all tastes and budgets, enhancing both travelers' stays and residents' daily lives. The result? Marseille shines as an inclusive, friendly and resolutely human destination. A pioneer of responsible, balanced urban tourism, the city is reinventing the codes of travel by placing humanity and sustainability at the heart of its development. Here, there's a place for everyone: whether you come to escape, recharge or share, Marseille has something for everyone. Human-scale yet visionary, it proves every day that another tourism model is possible: fairer, more supportive, more connected to the essentials. Marseille. Much more than a destination - an experience to be lived.
The GDS-Movement is a pioneering, data-driven international change agency that acts to catalyse socio-economic and environmental transformation in cities and regions across the world. Our mission is to empower tourism and events professionals with the mindsets, skill sets, and toolsets to co-create more regenerative and resilient destinations to visit, meet, and live in.
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