In 2024, Paris continues to climb the rankings of sustainable destinations and makes its official entry into the world’s top 20 sustainable destinations, hopping into 20th place in the GDS-Index. The destination also ranks in 7th place among international capitals, in 5th place among the cities of central and southern Europe, and in 3rd place among big cities. And all this despite the inclusion of 10 new destinations in the rankings.
In 2023, Paris had already moved up from 25th to 21st place. This year, the destination scored particularly well in the ‘Destination Management Performance’ category (destination strategy, measurement, impact, certifications, etc.), with a score of 79.58 compared with 77.62 in 2023. In the ‘Environmental’ category (74.24), the trend is positive, with the destination moving up in the rankings from 17 to 13 in this category.
The GDS-Index is the leading international ranking system for assessing and accelerating the sustainability performance of destinations and brings together cities that recognize the urgent need to reinvent themselves. The 70 criteria that make up the GDS-Index cover environmental performance, social progress, supply chain performance in the meetings and conventions industry, and the responsible commitments of local tourist offices and DMOs (Destination Management Organizations).
Corinne Menegaux, Managing Director of Paris je t’aime – Tourist Office:
‘We are very proud of Paris’s entry into the top 20. The Paris 2024 Games have been an excellent catalyst, showing the world the image of an increasingly sustainable destination: a river Seine suitable for swimming, a cyclable and inclusive Paris … With a view to ensuring a positive legacy from this global event, let's continue our efforts to make Paris the capital of sustainable tourism!’
Since last year, eight French destinations (Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, Nantes, Nice, Paris, Strasbourg and Toulouse) have set up their own working group around the GDS-Index to take collective action to make France a destination for responsible tourism and events. The aim of this collaboration is to share best practice, training and projects ever more closely.