Helsinki named the most sustainable travel destination in the 2024 GDS-Index

Helsinki has been named the most sustainable travel destination in the latest Global Destination Sustainability (GDS) Index.

The Global Destination Sustainability Index measures the sustainability of travel destinations around the world across four different categories using more than 70 indicators. The comparison includes more than a hundred cities throughout the world that have invested in sustainability.

Helsinki achieved a score of 92.43 in the 2024 rankings, details of which can be found here.

The Finnish capital is followed by Gothenburg at 90.83 and Copenhagen at 88.19. Bergen, Aarhus, and Bordeaux follow, with scores of 86.49, 85.68, and 83.37, respectively. Singapore and Oslo have identical scores of 83.37 and 83.26, while Belfast and Sydney round out the top ten with scores of 83.14 and 83.13.

‘Long-term work’

“Being named the world’s most sustainable travel destination is proof of the long-term work that has been done in Helsinki,” commented Juhana Vartiainen, Mayor of Helsinki.

“We are developing and growing tourism sustainably together with tourism operators and local residents. The first place we have now achieved indicates that we are on the right path.

Parameters measured

The Global Destination Sustainability (GDS) Index assesses sustainability across four key areas: Destination Management, Supplier Performance, Environmental Performance, and Social Performance.

In the 2024 rankings, Helsinki secured the top position in Destination Management, Supplier Performance, and Environmental Performance, while ranking second in Social Progress.

“International studies show that travellers are increasingly looking for more sustainable services and destinations,” added Nina Vesterinen, tourism director at the City of Helsinki. “There will no doubt be increasing demand for the world’s most sustainable tourist destination in the future.”

Most Sustainable Travel Destinations, 2024