- The city ranks in the top three destinations showing the greatest improvement compared with the previous year, with growth of 28 per cent.
- The index analyses 74 indicators relating to the city’s environmental and social performance, the sustainability of its tourism offering and destination management.
Valencia ranks among the top three destinations that have most improved their sustainability performance in the Global Destination Sustainability Index 2026 (GDS-Index), alongside Bremen and Madrid, according to the results released today by the Global Destination Sustainability Movement. This Top 3 recognition highlights the progress made by the city and the advances resulting from its sustainability strategy, which have enabled Valencia to reach 29th place in a ranking featuring more than 160 international destinations.
The chair of the Visit València Foundation and councillor for Tourism, Innovation and Investment, Paula Llobet, emphasised that “being amongst the three cities that have made the most progress is recognition of the work València is carrying out to move towards an increasingly sustainable, balanced model of tourism that is committed to the quality of life of those of us who live here. It is particularly important because it measures our progress and demonstrates, through objective indicators, that the policies implemented and our collaboration with the sector are yielding results”.
Assessment of 74 indicators
The GDS-Index (Global Destination Sustainability Index) is an international programme that assesses and compares the sustainability of more than 160 tourist destinations through a data- and evidence-based system. Its methodology encompasses 74 indicators grouped into four main areas: environmental performance, social performance, sustainability of suppliers and tourism provision, and destination management.
The aspects analysed include climate action, energy and emissions, the circular economy and waste, water, air quality, mobility and biodiversity; social issues such as accessibility, inclusion and resident participation; the sustainability of hotels, restaurants, venues, attractions and other tourism providers; and aspects related to destination management, such as strategy, governance, impact measurement, certification, mobility and communication.
Thus, Valencia’s position amongst the destinations making the most progress is not the result of any specific action, but rather reflects the overall improvement recorded compared with the previous year across all the areas assessed. The methodology combines quantitative and qualitative information and includes an independent process of reviewing, verifying and validating the data provided by each destination.
An international benchmark for measuring the sustainability of destinations
The GDS-Index is managed by the Global Destination Sustainability Movement (GDS-Movement), an international organisation specialising in sustainability and the regenerative management of destinations, and enables cities to measure their progress annually, identify areas for improvement and compare their performance with other international destinations.
For Valencia, ranking amongst the top three destinations showing the greatest improvement by 2026 represents international recognition of the progress made by its management model and the joint efforts of Valencia City Council, the Visit Valencia Foundation and the city’s tourism ecosystem to move towards a more sustainable, resilient and balanced destination.
Source: HOPSCOTCH TOURISM