Belfast voted one of the 'most sustainable places' in the world
Last updated 10th Nov 2022
Belfast has climbed into the top 10 official list of sustainable destinations in the world according to the 2022 results of the annual GDS Index.
Moving eleven places higher on last year, Belfast is now the most sustainable destination on the Island of Ireland, securing its prominent position on the international stage as a leading city tourism destination committed to sustainable development and growth.
Other leading cities to make the Top 10 include Gothenburg, Bordeaux, Stockholm, Copenhagen, and Glasgow.
The Global Destination Sustainability Index (GDS-Index) is a world-leading sustainability benchmarking and performance improvement programme for destinations and their visitor economies.
Comparing data submitted by 65 destinations, the results offer insights into the trends and progress of the global destinations’ commitment to transforming their social, environmental and destination management practices.
Demonstrating a focus to build the sector back from the impacts of the Covid pandemic and bringing sustainability to the forefront of tourism growth and development, Belfast achieved a score of 84.01% up 13 percentage points from last year when Belfast ranked 19th out of 73 destinations.
Visit Belfast fended off global competition to take home the 2022 GDS-Movement’s Innovation Award for its pioneering social impact project Changing the Menu. For Good. Beating destinations like the Faroe Islands, Helsingborg, Sweden, and Washington DC.
Changing the Menu. For Good launched earlier this year, enlisting the help and support of the city’s venues, caterers, and events’ organisers to help tackle food poverty by directly raising funds and supplies for local food banks and charities.
Founding partners include Hastings Hotels, Queen’s University Belfast, Conference Partners International, Crowne Plaza Belfast, Hospitality Belfast, Eventful, ICC Belfast and Titanic Belfast.
The judges felt that Belfast’s Changing the Menu. For Good. was the most scalable, modifiable, and maximally impactful of the top five finalist’s projects.
Visit Belfast Chief Executive Gerry Lennon said:
“Tourism has played a pivotal role in Belfast’s growth, vibrancy, and economic wellbeing in recent years. By working collaboratively and creatively, Visit Belfast and our partners and stakeholders have identified a way where the sector can continue to contribute positively to the city’s wellbeing, at a time when pressures from rising costs of living are impacting so profoundly on people’s lives.
“Changing the Menu. For Good. is part of our long-term commitment to deliver more sustainable events and drive a regenerative tourism sector which leaves a lasting legacy and that has our people and their needs at its heart.
Belfast’s ranking represents a significant milestone for the city, underpinning Belfast City Council’s vision set out in the Belfast Resilience Strategy that aims to see the Belfast City Region transition to an inclusive, zero-emissions climate resilient economy within a generation.
A major part of this strategy includes Belfast’s One Million Trees project. This initiative is a joint pledge between Belfast City Council, private and voluntary sectors to plant one million native trees across the city by 2035.
Reflecting on just how far Belfast has come and congratulating the combined efforts of those involved in tourism, conference and events sales, promotion and development, the Lord Mayor of Belfast Councillor Tina Black said:
“It’s hugely important to see Belfast rank among the greenest and most sustainable destinations in the world. Global research has highlighted the need for to protect our built and natural environment and provide destination stewardship. By aligning these and the needs of our community we can lay the foundations for building a stronger, more resilient tourism sector in the coming decades.
“I’m extremely proud that our combined efforts with key businesses and organisations across the city, from the public, private and civic sectors are keeping our city on the global stage, clearly setting out our qualities as an appealing, attractive, responsible tourism destination. I think this success demonstrates what can be achieved when we work together; this is a really good news story for Belfast.”
Read more:
Stormont: MLA pay to be cut and election deadline extended
11 things to do this November in Belfast
Belsonic 2023: Everything you need to know!