Riyadh, February 4, 2025 – A new report published by the Sustainable Tourism Global Center (STGC) has recognized 12 leading tourism destinations worldwide for their outstanding achievements in social sustainability. The report, which evaluated 121 destinations across 101 countries, focused on five key sustainability criteria: well-being, economic development, infrastructure and services, resilience, and governance and strategic planning. Established by Saudi Arabia in 2021, the STGC aims to accelerate the global tourism sector's transition toward sustainability, supporting destinations that enhance local community well-being, drive economic growth, and ensure responsible governance.
The report categorized the destinations into those excelling in specific areas of sustainability. Paris, which secured the top position, was praised for its robust tourism strategy emphasizing community engagement, cultural preservation, and social inclusion. Bucharest was also highlighted as a "Leading Destination" for its multifaceted approach to tourism, even though it did not score among the highest. The report further ranked destinations in categories such as well-being, with Zurich and Taipei topping this area, and economic development, with London leading. Other destinations like Copenhagen, Rio de Janeiro, Amsterdam, and Kuala Lumpur excelled in infrastructure and services, resilience, and governance, respectively.
Minister of Tourism, Ahmed Al Khateeb, commended the achievements of these destinations, underscoring the importance of public-private partnerships in driving sustainability in tourism. Al Khateeb also emphasized Saudi Arabia’s commitment to advancing global sustainability efforts, alongside the STGC, by fostering collaboration across academia, government, and the private sector. The report reveals the significant role tourism plays in global economic development, contributing about 10% to the global GDP. It also aims to address the gap in measuring social sustainability, promoting the exchange of best practices across the tourism sector globally.
The STGC’s study categorizes destinations into "Best Practices," "Good Practices," and "Developing Destinations," with 32% of evaluated destinations recognized as "Best Practices." These include major global cities such as Abu Dhabi, Amsterdam, Berlin, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Dubai, Dublin, New York City, Paris, Sydney, and Zurich. The findings are a valuable resource for promoting collaboration, sharing knowledge, and accelerating the adoption of sustainability practices in tourism worldwide.