Join the GDS-Index Journey

The GDS-Index is a trusted performance improvement programme to assess and accelerate the progress of a destinations regenerative journey. It measures, benchmarks, and enhances the sustainability strategies, action plans, and initiatives of more than 100 destination management organisations, municipal authorities, and their tourism supply chains. 

Who is the GDS-Index for?

The GDS-Index is more than just a benchmarking programme – we’re your partners in transformation. Gain unparalleled access to expert insights, strategic enhancements, and innovative approaches designed to make your destination’s tourism and events more regenerative. Don’t just adapt to climate changelead the change with us.

Whether you are a Destination Management Organisation (DMO), a City Convention Bureau (CVB), a Municipality, a Regional Tourism Organisation (RTO), or a National Tourism Organisation (NTO), the GDS-Index is for you.   We have collaborated with destinations of all sizes and organisasions of all types, from small cities to megalopolises, from government bureaux to private, for-profit corporations. Our combined years of expert knowledge give your destination a unique advantage on its journey towards socio-economic and environmental transformation. 

Are you eager to redefine your destination’s future?

Here is what to expect on the GDS-Index Journey

 

Onboarding: We start with introductory meetings to thoroughly orient your team in the journey.

Toolbox: We provide you with a toolbox of guides, templates, and video tutorials about data collection in the online management system, OMNI. 

Collaborate: You can delegate GDS-index criteria and access to people inside and outside of your organisation. 

Feedback: We review and provide you with feedback and answer all your questions during the benchmarking submission process.

Support: You can add additional consultancy hours to your package for strategy development, specific projects or goals, workshops, academy courses, or advisory meetings to your plan.

Overview: You have a live dashboard where you can monitor your submission, see all your published benchmarking results, analyse your destination’s sustainability performance, and compare with others. 

Recommendations: Once benchmarking is complete, we provide you with a “Performance Improvement Report”. This is a detailed review of your sustainability efforts that identifies opportunities and strengths, and offers a tailored list of recommendations based on your destination’s unique attributes.

Best practice: We provide you with helpful examples of vetted best practices to support and develop your sustainability contributions. Our database includes over 150 recent case studies from sustainable tourism and events around the world. 

Start now Reach out to us if you are ready to take the next step on your sustainability journey. 

GDS-Index Timelines

The below deadlines for the GDS-Movement team are in blue and the deadlines for the destinations are in green.

 
Pre-Assessment
Ranking Launch: 16 October
 
2024 GDS-Index Criteria Update
Performance Improvement Meetings
 
Verify Answers and Prepare Performance Improvement Reports
 
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Jan25
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Omni opens: 25 March
Deadline for updates: 8 July
 
Deadline for completion: 26 May
 
 

Finding the right plan for you

Standard Plan

– Specifically for DMOs, CVBs
– Benchmarking against other Destinations in OMNI, the GDS-Index data platform
– Performance Improvement Report and presentation
– Profile page on www.gds.earth and use of the GDS-Index logo
– Community access to “Feeling the Pulse” webinars and online forums
– Inclusion in communications and promotional activities
– Participation in the annual GDS-Index Awards
– 4 hours of benchmark coaching support for your needs

Premium Plan

– Specifically for DMOs and CVBs
– Benchmarking against other Destinations in OMNI, the GDS-Index data platform
– Performance Improvement Report and presentation
– Profile page on www.gds.earth and use of the GDS-Index logo
– Community access to “Feeling the Pulse” webinars and online forums
– Inclusion in communications and promotional activities
– Participation in the annual GDS-Index Awards
– 28 hours of benchmarking coaching support for your needs

National and Regional Plan

Bespoke services for Municipalities, RTOs NTOs, rolling out GDS-Index participation across several cities and regions, including a dedicated regional view in OMNI.  

Want more info?

Would you like more information?
If
you’re excited to embark on your regeneration journey today, please contact a team-member in your region.
 

Nordics

Inge Krogh Larsen

Iberia

Monica Molina

UK & Ireland, Germany

Janie Neumann

UK & Ireland

Jennifer Jensen

UK & Ireland

Alicia Winfield-O'Hare Profile Picture

Asian Pacific

Jessica Vandy

North America

Alexis Kereluk

Latin America

Alejandra H. Zita

National DMOS

Guy Bigwood