Where to stay in the top 30 most sustainable destinations in 2022

The 2022 list of the most sustainable destinations in the world is out now – and travelers can find notable, unique and luxurious eviivo properties in a majority of the top spots.

Out of the top 30 metropolises, Glasgow, Scotland, ranks #1, where travelers can find dozens of enchanting and award-winning eviivo properties. Bordeaux, France – ranked 5 on the list — is also a popular destination where our beautiful, well-appointed properties are among the most popular independent accommodations.

Washington DC was named a finalist for the coveted Innovation Award that ultimately went to Belfast, Northern Ireland – another wonderful destination and eviivo property hub.

Read on for a further breakdown of the cities and regions represented in the 2022 Global Destination Sustainability Index, the full results of which can be found here.

The GDS-Index measures and benchmarks the sustainability strategies of tourism and events destinations. This year, the GDS Movement reported improvement across almost every metric, with a 33% increase in average performance across all destinations over seven years and a 44% increase in the top 10 destinations.

The 2022 data also shows an impressive uptick in sustainability strategies, initiatives and actions from destination management organizations (DMOs) around the world.

For the sixth time, Gothenburg, Sweden won the GDS Leadership Award. The city also ranks number one on the GDS-Index 2022. Belfast, at number eight, received the Innovation Award and Bangkok, at number 28, earned the Most Improved Award.

Nordic countries had a strong showing on the GDS-Index this year with 12 destinations on the top 30 list, including the top four spots.

France and the Republic of Ireland each landed three placements on this list; the United Kingdom and Australia each scored two; and Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Canada, Thailand and South Korea each got one destination in the top 30.

eviivo proudly supports boutique hotels, B&Bs, inns and vacation rentals in 10 of the top 30 sustainability centers in 2022:

VisitBerlin dove deeper into the results of all 65 participating destinations to rank the metropolises – defined as destinations with a population of 1.5 million.

Properties powered by eviivo are located in six of these top 10 major metropolitan areas, including four of the top five: 

The GDS Movement noted the following six major takeaways from the 2022 GDS-Index results – all of which are worth considering if you’re a hotelier, short term rental or vacation property host in one of the tourism destinations listed above or elsewhere.

80% of the participating destinations have a sustainable tourism strategy, up from 47% in 2019. 

45% of destinations consulted with visitors, clients, industry, government and community stakeholders to co-create their sustainability strategy, which is 10% more than in 2021.

Just 29% of destinations said they do not have a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion strategy, training or tools in place.

Certified venue averages are up 11% from 2021, with an average of 34% of hotels across all destinations holding a third-party certification for sustainability in 2022.

5. Impact measurement across people, planet and profit is gaining traction

48% of participating DMOs have a system to measure and monitor the environmental, economic and social impact and performance of tourism, compared to 15% in 2019.

6. Sustainability governance is the new normal

92% of DMOs have a dedicated sustainability manager and 55% have formed a sustainability committee that includes external and non-industry stakeholders.

The rising commitment to social responsibility worldwide aligns with eviivo’s initiatives – and we look forward to seeing more from these sustainable destinations in 2023.