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.
Does Prague Convention Bureau / Prague City Tourism have a Sustainability Strategy?
Does Prague have a sustainable destination certificate?
Does Prague Convention Bureau / Prague City Tourism report on its sustainability performance?
The Czech Republic has doubled the amount of plastics being recycled in the space of less than a decade. According to the Eurostat statistics, Czechs are in fourth place in Europe in terms of overall recycling of packaging waste – and in second place when it comes to recycling plastic PET bottles. Prague is also well-known for the efficiency of its public transportation system. In 2010, FIA (Federation Internationale de l'Automobile) recognized it as the 4th best in Europe. In 2017, Arcadis placed the Prague transportation system on the 5th place in the Sustainable Cities Mobility Index. The city supports a wide range of different projects, such as for example “Čistou Stopou Prahou” (“Across Prague with a Clean Track” to encourage people to walk, use the public transportation or bike instead of commuting by car) or “Cyklisté vítáni” (“Bikers Welcome” - certification for hotels, restaurants, venues etc. that provides facilities for cyclists). In the field of transportation, the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan was accepted to solve the traffic problem as a whole. In 2018, Dutch holiday agency TravelBird published its Green Cities Index and ranked Prague as the world's greenest city. There is also a Green City Guide available for Prague visitors. The UN Sustainable Development Report 2019 also ranked the Czech Republic seventh most developed in achieving the Goals of Sustainable Development out of the total of 162 evaluated countries.
OF ELECTRICITY
FROM RENEWABLES
THE CITY’S
2030 CARBON
REDUCTION TARGET
HECTARES OF GREEN
AREA PER 100 000
POPULATION
For the last seven years, Prague has been a host city for the reSITE conference. reSITE is a global non-profit organization acting to improve the urban environment. In 2016 they launched Shared Cities project mission to improve the quality of life in European cities by exploring aspects of sharing and urban design. The City of Prague also takes sustainability for its events in consideration, committed itself to a greater environmental protection in accordance with the relevant European Parliament directive. In accordance to this, only reusable or returnable dishes will be used at all sport, culture, educative or social events organized by the Prague City Hall and simultaneously, the City Council approved a resolution committing the capital to stop supporting events at which single-use packagings and dishes are used, and all the organisers have to replace one-use cups, plates etc. with reusable ones, if they want to become eligible for any form of the City of Prague support.
OF HOTEL ROOMS
SUSTAINABILITY
CERTIFIED
OF VENUES
SUSTAINABILITY
CERTIFIED
OF PCOS/DMCS
SUSTAINABILITY
CERTIFIED
The city ranks among TOP 30 cities in Prosperity Index, World Happiness Index and Human Capital Index. Prague is also the 12th best city for expats and the 7th best vegan city according to the Holidu server. What's more, Arcadis recognized Prague as one of the TOP 10 most sustainable cities in 2016.
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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