BARCELONA, 3 March 2025: The Global Destination Sustainability Movement (GDS-Movement), headquartered in Barcelona, Spain, has unveiled the 2025 GDS-Index*, a performance improvement programme to assess and accelerate the progress of a destination’s regenerative journey.
This year’s index criteria feature key refinements designed to improve accuracy, streamline assessments, and more keenly support destinations in their sustainability journey. The latest updates integrate third-party data sets, refine evaluation criteria, and align certification requirements with evolving industry standards.
The annual review, guided by destination input, a dedicated Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), and other interested parties, ensures that the index remains a robust and transparent improvement programme. The 2025 updates introduce minimal refinements while maintaining the integrity of the assessment framework.
Key Enhancements
Integration of third-party data: New partnerships with BeCause and Murmuration bring externally validated data into the index, improving efficiency and reducing the obligation to destinations. BeCause will provide verified sustainability certification data for hotels, while Murmuration will supply satellite data for five key environmental indicators: Renewable Energy (EN-7), Particle Pollution 2.5 (EN-12), Particle Pollution 10 (EN-13), Bike Paths (EN-16), and Green Areas (EN-19).
Clearer certification requirements: The 2025 GDS-Index aligns with certifications that are Travalyst-compliant or GSTC-accredited, ensuring greater consistency in sustainability credentials. From 2026, certifications accepted by the GDS-Index will have to be accredited and adhere to stricter standards to maintain credibility and transparency.
Streamlined process: Minor refinements to 14 criteria have simplified responses, integrated third-party data, and improved clarity, making the benchmarking process easier and more valuable for destinations.
Redesigned criteria – accessibility and short-term rental – Updates reflect a more inclusive approach to public transport and public spaces’ accessibility, as well as improved evaluation of short-term tourism rental management, acknowledging diverse destination contexts.
Enhanced transparency: The GDS-Index remains committed to consultation with the TAC and stakeholder engagement, reinforcing trust and ensuring the methodology aligns more with emerging global sustainability standards.
Commenting on the 2025 updates, GDS-Movement CEO Guy Bigwood stated: “The 2025 GDS-Index strengthens our commitment to delivering greater value for destination management organisations. By integrating trusted third-party data from BeCause and Murmuration, we reduce administration, save time, and improve accuracy. These refinements ensure that the GDS-Index is more meaningful, insightful, and better aligned with emerging industry needs, driving real progress towards more regenerative and resilient destination management in an increasingly unsettled world.”
Looking ahead, the 2026 GDS-Index will undergo a definitive review to align with the upcoming EU Green Claims Directive, expected to take effect in September 2026. The review process, beginning in April 2026, will be led by the GDS-Movement in collaboration with the TAC and in consultation with participating destinations to ensure compliance with evolving regulatory requirements.
Download the updated GDS-Index Methodology, with 76 criteria, here.
*ABOUT THE GLOBAL DESTINATION SUSTAINABILITY INDEX (GDS-Index)
The GDS-Index is a trusted performance improvement programme to assess and accelerate the progress of a destination’s 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.
Co-founded in 2016 by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), City Destinations Alliance (CityDNA), IMEX Group, and MCI, the GDS-Index offers an unparalleled resource for visitors, DMOs, municipalities, and event planners looking for destinations that offer vetted and verified sustainability performance.
