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Adelaide has become the 4th Australian city to join the Global Destination Sustainability Index (GDS-Index). Global Destination Sustainability Movement (GDS-Movement) is a pioneering, international change agency that acts to catalyse socio-economic and environmental transformation in cities and regions across the world. The GDS-Index, a trusted performance improvement programme, assesses and accelerates the progress of a destination’s regenerative journey.

It measures, benchmarks, and enhances the sustainability strategies, action plans, and initiatives of over 100 destination management organisations, municipal authorities, and their tourism and event supply chains. Currently, three Australian cities (Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane) and a further eight in the Asia Pacific region are part of the GDS-Index.

Business Events Adelaide will coordinate Adelaide’s response to the assessment criteria, the Adelaide Convention Centre, its member venues and stakeholders within local and state government. Business Events Adelaide’s Chief Executive Officer, Damien Kitto, said being assessed alongside other destinations will help build an understanding of Adelaide’s relative strengths and weaknesses. ‘We are aware that sustainability issues are becoming an increasingly important consideration for business event organisers and delegates.

Business event delegates visiting Adelaide often refer to our green, walkable city-in-apark, so whilst we feel this is an advantage over other destinations, talking about it is no longer enough. We need to demonstrate practices that reduce the impact on our planet, especially in a country like Australia, with delegates conscious of the carbon footprint associated with their travel’.

‘Working with a recognised global authority like GDS-Movement will help Adelaide to develop action plans to build a solid sustainability profile. It is good for business, but more importantly, it is the right thing to do for the future, and we look forward to working with our members, strategic partners and stakeholders in positioning Adelaide as a clean destination of choice’.

GDS-Movement’s CEO and Founder, Guy Bigwood, said ‘We’re thrilled to welcome another Australian city to the GDS-Index community. Research underscores the growing importance of sustainable travel for today’s travellers, making it imperative for destinations to take proactive steps. The GDS-Index data reveals a positive trend: cities that join the Index consistently enhance their sustainability strategies, improve their practices and drive impact. We are excited to work with Adelaide on this important journey’.

The evaluation process for the 2024 GDS-Index has commenced, with the top 40 global destinations announced in October.