The GDS movement supports destinations in developing further in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These sustainability goals of the United Nations (UN) form the basis for the GDS Index, which measures the sustainability of a region on the basis of 69 indicators in four areas – environment, social affairs, destination development and service providers – and makes it comparable with others.
Together with its partners from the event sector, the Convention Bureau Tirol (CBT) has now also initiated this assessment for Tirol. Specifically, GDS will support Tirol as a convention region in the development of a sustainability strategy that measures the status quo of the services offered by convention centres, conference hotels, event agencies and other event partners. These findings show providers additional optimization opportunities in the area of sustainability.
Furthermore, the awareness of the SDGs and their compliance is to be increased – this applies to the event industry in particular as well as the regions in general. This should inspire even more (and not only) congress and conference participants from the destination.
The Convention Bureau Tirol has been pushing the development of a sustainable offer for congress participants and business travellers for a long time and is pushing the development of Tirol as a congress destination into a so-called Green Meeting Destination. Many Tyrolean convention providers are already focusing on sustainable events, so-called green meetings, with the “Klimabündnis Tirol” (Tyrol Climate Alliance), among others.
These initiatives complement numerous other commitments of Tyrolean tourism in terms of sustainability. For example, the Tirol Tourist Board has created a “Sustainability Competence Centre” and, together with the province of Tyrol and other partners such as mobility companies, is promoting forward-looking projects such as “Tirol auf Schiene” (Tirol on Rail), which has been encouraging guests to travel by rail since 2012. Another example is the initiative “CLAR – Clean Alpine Region”, which supports Tyrolean tourism regions in implementing measures in the areas of climate protection, sustainability and energy and in further developing themselves as climate-friendly regions.
About the Convention Bureau Tirol
As a professional, impartial non-profit service and advisory, the Convention Bureau Tirol and its more than 60 partners such as congress centres, locations, conference hotels and agencies support the organisation of congresses, conferences, incentives and other events with ideas, information and the suitable contacts. The Convention Bureau Tirol thus forms the central marketing organisation and lobby for the Tyrol as a congress and event location.
About the Global Destination Sustainability movement
The GDS-Movement unites and enables destination management professionals to create flourishing and resilient places to visit, meet and live in. Their mission is to co-create sustainable and circular strategies, mindsets and skillsets that will enable destinations of the future to thrive, and society and nature to regenerate.
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