Paris Sustainable Tourism? City Moves up Sustainability Rankings

After joining the GDS-Index (Global Destination Sustainability Index) in 2021 in 55th position, Paris is at present in 25th position with 74.34% of the sustainability criteria in this international ranking having been met. Paris sustainable tourism has moved up 30 places into the Top 30 of global sustainable destinations in 2022.

The French capital also ranks second in the ‘Most Improved Awards’, after Bangkok and ahead of Barcelona, Bergen and Belfast, an award that recognizes cities that have made the biggest progress in the ranking.

The GDS-Index is the leading international benchmark for analysing and improving the sustainability performance of global destinations (in the tourism and events industry), bringing together cities that recognize the urgent need to reinvent themselves. The 70 quantitative and qualitative criteria of the GDS-Index assess four key areas: city environmental performance, city social performance, supplier performance, and Destination Management Performance (including the sustainable commitments of tourist offices and local Destination Management Organisations).

By joining the GDS-Index in 2021, the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau undertook to measure the impact of tourism in Paris on the city, in order to gain a better understanding of the latter and to bring about a genuine shift in the way visitors are hosted towards a true Paris sustainable tourism model.

“We are delighted and proud of the results of the 2022 ranking, which clearly reflect and recognize the commitments and initiatives carried out by all Parisian actors for a more sustainable tourism in the capital,” Corinne Menegaux, Managing Director of the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau, said.

In first position in the GDS-Index – 2022 is Gothenburg, followed by Bergen and Copenhagen. Two other French cities are in 5th and 11th position respectively: Bordeaux and Lyon.

Aside from the Paris sustainable tourism efforts, the GDS-Index has enabled several French cities to join forces and strengthen their cooperation on these issues. The Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau is thus actively involved in a regular and closer collaboration with Lyon, Toulouse, Marseille, Bordeaux, and Nantes, to name but a few. This exchange regarding challenges and good practices makes it possible to improve collectively for a more responsible tourism and events industry at national level.