Home NEWS GDS Index publishes 2026 criteria & methodology

GDS Index publishes 2026 criteria & methodology

Gently strengthening the GDS-Index for greater systemic impact

Feb 19, 2026

The 2026 GDS-Index represents a deliberate evolution of the Criteria, grounded in practitioner insights and technical review. This year’s minor update strengthens clarity, governance, relevance, and methodology integrity while maintaining structural stability for participating destinations.

The focus has been on consolidation, precision, and alignment with global sustainability frameworks, ensuring the GDS-Index continues to function as a rigorous improvement performance programme for destinations navigating increasingly complex environmental, economic, and social challenges.

Key enhancements to the 2026 GDS-Index criteria

Structural refinement for stronger coherence: a comprehensive technical review reduced overlap between related criteria, clarified distinctions, simplified answer structures, and recalibrated scoring where needed. Greater emphasis has been placed on governance influence, resilience, and the measurable role of DMOs as conveners and system shapers.

Evidence-based review informed by systems thinking research: the 2026 update was directly informed by the research collaboration with the University of Exeter: “Unlocking Systems Thinking for Destination Sustainability Performance”. The resulting GDS-Index System Map revealed the interconnections between criteria across the four categories, identifying leverage points where destination management organisations have the greatest influence on performance transformation.

This research provided an evidence base to steer the 2026 review toward criteria where DMOs actively convene stakeholders, collect and act on key performance indicators, and drive systemic change, with particular focus on Destination Management and Supplier criteria.

Continued integration of third-party datasets: the Index further strengthens data integrity and efficiency through external partnerships:

– BeCause: Verified sustainability certification data for hotels
– Murmuration: Environmental datasets supporting three environmental indicators

Forward-looking alignment: certification requirements have been updated for 2026 in preparation for the forthcoming enforcement of the EU Empowering Consumers (EmpCo) Directive. Accepted certifications will become stringent in 2027, reinforcing credibility and alignment with evolving regulatory frameworks.

The GDS-Index continues to be informed and closely aligned to UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) and to the GSTC Destination Standard v2.

The review process continues to be guided by the ISEAL Code of Good Practice, ensuring credibility and effectiveness.

Key changes in the 2026 GDS-Index

The 2026 version comprises 74 criteria, with updates focused on refinement and stabilisation, not expansion.

2 new criteria introduced in response to evolving global challenges:

Crisis Management: Strengthen destination resilience by assessing the DMO’s role within tourism and events crisis governance. The focus is on preparedness, response and recovery, evaluating how the DMO is integrated into decision-making, and coordination mechanisms.

Visitor Sustainability Communication: Enhances how destinations build trust and influence behaviour by assessing the DMO’s strategic communication on responsible visitor guidance, accessibility and inclusion information, and sustainability-aligned offerings.

1 criterion was streamlined for stronger climate framework alignment, 13 criteria refined to simplify answer structures and clarified intention, and 19 criteria enhanced with clearer guidance.

38 criteria remain unchanged, while 4 criteria were removed to improve coherence and reduce overlap.

Learn more about the GDS-Index here.