The Global Destination Sustainability Movement (GDS-Movement) stands as a trailblazing international change agency, committed to driving socio-economic and environmental transformation in cities and regions worldwide. At the forefront of its initiatives is the GDS-Index, a renowned performance improvement program designed to evaluate and expedite a destination’s journey toward regeneration. This program meticulously assesses, benchmarks, and strengthens the sustainability strategies, action plans, and initiatives of over 100 destination management organizations, municipal authorities, as well as their tourism and event supply chains.

Presently, three Australian cities (Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane) and an additional eight cities in the Asia Pacific region participate in the GDS-Index. Business Events Adelaide will spearhead Adelaide’s engagement with the assessment criteria, collaborating closely with the Adelaide Convention Centre, its member venues, and stakeholders from both local and state government.

Business Events Adelaide’s Chief Executive Officer, Damien Kitto, said being assessed alongside other destinations will help build an understanding of Adelaide’s relative strengths and weaknesses. ‘We are aware that sustainability issues are becoming an increasingly important consideration for business event organisers and delegates. Business event delegates visiting Adelaide often refer to our green, walkable city-in-a-park, so whilst we feel this is an advantage over other destinations, talking about it is no longer enough. We need to demonstrate practices that reduce the impact on our planet,
especially in a country like Australia, with delegates conscious of the carbon footprint associated with their travel’.

The evaluation process for the 2024 GDS-Index has commenced, with the top 40 global destinations announced in October.