Berlin: Greener and more sustainable: For the second time, the German capital was awarded one of the highly coveted places in the most important international sustainability ranking for the tourism and events industry. Among the global metropolises, the German capital is once again in fifth place. On the whole, Berlin ranks twenty-sixth among all participating destinations worldwide, including not only cities but also regions, in the “Global Destination Sustainability Index 2022”, which means it has moved up two spots. The ranking was announced yesterday at the annual congress of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) in Krakow.
Burkhard Kieker, CEOÂ visitBerlin, said: “Sustainability is a core concern for Berlin. This year’s fifth place in the international sustainability ranking – after metropolises such as Glasgow and Melbourne and almost on a par with Montreal, Paris, and Sydney – bears testimony to this. It is well deserved – the ranking shows that Berlin is on the right track and is developing into a climate-friendly, innovative destination worth living in. We are doing everything we can to ensure that Berlin’s visitor economy continues to set its course fit for the future.”
30 sustainable metropolises at a glance
The aim of the “Global Destination Sustainability Index” is to promote the sustainable development of international metropolises and to promote responsible tourism. The index evaluates four areas:
1. Urban environmental strategy and infrastructure
2. Social sustainability performance of the city
3. Support for suppliers such as restaurants, hotels or convention centers
4. Destination management strategies and initiatives.
Planning events sustainably
Berlin has shown how meetings, congresses, and events can be planned and implemented in a sustainable manner. And it certainly holds true with the online platform “Sustainable Meetings Berlin”, an initiative of the Berlin Convention Office and the Berlin Senate Department for Economic Affairs, Energy and Operations. All MICE partners in the city are welcome to become part of this community. They stand to benefit from free workshops, events, and consultations. The Sustainable Partner audit is also free of charge. With these support services, the initiative is sure to move Berlin even further up the “Global Destination Sustainability Index”.
Since 2020, visitBerlin has been a member of the Global Destination Sustainability Movement (GDS-Movement), which publishes the Global Destination Sustainability Index annually.
Sustainability index: The top 10 most sustainable metropolises worldwide
The ranking considers metropolitan areas to be destinations with more than 1.5 million inhabitants.
