At Visit Scotland for 11 years, Janie was a key sustainable tourism driver focusing on industry and wider organisational commitments to more responsible, low-carbon tourism development.

As VisitScotland’s Sustainable Tourism Manager, she led its Destination Net Zero efforts, which involved developing the national organisation’s climate action plan, as well as delivering a wide range of projects supporting the industry’s and regional destinations’ transition to a net zero future.

Janie represented VisitScotland on the drafting committee of the Glasgow Declaration for Climate Action in Tourism, which aims to act as a catalyst for urgent climate action of the global travel and tourism industry.

Janie also brings extensive experience in certification and assessment, mainly through her work at Green Tourism, a global leader in sustainable tourism certification, assessing and advising the sustainability journey of more than 300 businesses in multiple destinations the UK, as well as the development of New Zealand’s and Canadian British Columbia’s own sustainable tourism certification programmes.

Originally from Berlin, Janie has spent much of her academic and working life in Scotland, with stints in the US and Canada. Janie has been lucky to live her passion for travel, exploring countries and cultures all over the world, but also enjoys the simple pleasures at home, like the outdoors, and cooking with her family.

Janie will be supporting participating GDS-Index destinations from the UK, Germany, and Austria, as well as advising destinations on their climate action journey and wider sustainability strategy.