Top100 global sustainable destinations – first 60 announced

Massive success for 2018 Green Destination Day – Creating Better Places Together

In an action-packed day in this year’s EU Green Capital – Holland’s Nijmegen – 60 of the world’s top one hundred sustainable destinations were awarded.

The first 60 destinations of the Sustainable Destinations Top 100 were unveiled on Global Green Destination Day 2018. This list celebrates the efforts of tourism destinations’ responsible and sustainable tourism initiatives.

Nominated destinations had to clarify what they have been doing to comply with the 30 core criteria of the Green Destinations Standard: 100 criteria that are Recognized by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC).

In the Early-Bird period (until July 2018) more than 120 nominations were received from 40 countries. Nominations were evaluated by the Sustainable Top 100 Team and by members of the Top 100 International Committee, which includes over 60 tourism sustainability experts.

The Top 100 initiative aims to recognise tourism destinations that have worked hard to make a difference and take sustainability seriously. Nevertheless, no destination is fully sustainable. In all selected destinations important issues remain to be solved.

Visitors’ carbon emissions are currently not taken into account in this competition due to the lack of adequate data and tools. However, Green Destinations recommends travellers to avoid long-haul travels and to appropriately compensate their carbon emission.

The Award winners were presented to the participants of the Global Green Destinations Day, 27 September 2018 in the City of Nijmegen in The Netherlands. Nijmegen has been elected European Green Capital 2018 by the European Commission.

The aims of the event were to give destination and business leaders a unique opportunity to meet many international colleagues; to discover practical tools and solutions; and to become inspired to "create better places together" and to better support their local business and stakeholder communities.

The Event convened professionals in sustainable tourism, and especially the members of ANVR, MVO Network Tourism, RECRON, VvKR, and the Green Destinations Community and Partnership.

In the action-packed day- 60 of the world’s top one hundred sustainable destinations were awarded.

The first 60 destinations accredited to the top100 Sustainable Destinations 2018 are:

Peneda-Gerês National Park – PORTUGAL, Niagara Falls – CANADA; Huilo Huilo Biological Reserve – CHILE (ES); Lio Tourism Estate – PHILIPPINES; Suwon Hwaseong Fortress UNESCO World Heritage – SOUTH KOREA; Skyros – GREECE; Otun Quimbaya Fauna and Flora Sanctuary – COLOMBIA; Åre – SWEDEN; Torroella de Montgri i L’Estartit – SPAIN; Jackson Hole, Wyoming – UNITED STATES; Bretagne – FRANCE; Town of Drniš – CROATIA; Pyhä-Luosto – FINLAND; Alto Minho – PORTUGAL; Agueda – PORTUGAL; Bergueda – SPAIN; Chiloe Island – CHILE; Östergötland – SWEDEN; Lyngenfjord-region – SWEDEN; San Carlos City – PHILIPPINES; Ajloun – JORDAN; Malmö – SWEDEN; Folegandros – GREECE; Douglas Shire – AUSTRALIA; Kamaishi – Japan; Ameland – The Netherlands; Azores – Portugal; Baiona (Galicia) – Spain; Berg en Dal – Netherlands ; Bled – Slovenia ; Bonaire – Caribbean Netherlands; Cascais – Portugal; Goeree-Overflakkee – The Netherlands; Gozo – Malta; Hoek van Holland – The Netherlands; Islas Atlnticas de Galicia – Spain; Katwijk – The Netherlands; Komen – Slovenia; Lagos – Portugal; Ljubljana – Slovenia; Nijmegen – Netherlands; Noja (Cantabria) – Spain; Noordwijk – The Netherlands; Norderney – Germany; North-East and Yilan Coast – Taiwan; Pafos Region – Cyprus; Pod-etrtek – Slovenia; Region West – Portugal; Rogaška Slatina – Slovenia; Saba – Caribbean Netherlands; Schouwen-Duiveland – The Netherlands; Serras do Socorro e Archeira – Portugal; Sintra – Portugal; Torres Vedras – Portugal; Vail (Colorado) – United States; Veere – The Netherlands;

Wassenaar – The Netherlands; Westvoorne – The Netherlands

And during the day there were presentations from Good Practice to Climate Neutral by presenters from destinations all over the world sharing their experience with the hundreds of destination participants.

See full presentations here:

Valere Tjolle

Valere is editor and publisher of Sustainable Tourism 0.2 which deals with travel and tourism and climate change, overtourism and green destinations amongst other sustainable tourism issues.