Helsinki leads Global Destination Sustainability Index for third year

Helsinki has secured the top position in the Global Destination Sustainability (GDS) Index for the third consecutive year. The index evaluates tourist destinations across four categories: environmental performance, supply chains, destination management, and social sustainability, using over 70 indicators.

Nina Vesterinen, Director of Tourism for the City of Helsinki, noted that the ranking serves as measurable proof of the city's sustainability efforts, particularly in light of the EU’s new ‘Empowering Consumers Directive’ (EmpCo), which requires sustainability claims to be backed by verifiable empirical data.

In the same report, Tampere ranked 11th globally and placed third in the ‘Supplier’ category, which measures the responsibility and sustainable practices of local tourism, event, and restaurant service providers. Tampere's total score increased from 76 to 86 points, and the city ranked fifth in the medium-sized cities series.