Famous for saunas and Santa Claus, Finland can also now lay claim to the world’s most sustainable travel destination. Helsinki has been named the world’s most sustainable city in the latest Global Destination Sustainability (GDS) Index, taking the top spot among more than 100 cities worldwide.
Finland’s capital city launched a 93-step tourist and events program in 2022 with the vision to become the world’s leading sustainable tourism destination by 2026. With this latest recognition, the Finnish city has achieved its sustainable tourism target two years early.
Helsinki is no stranger to the GDS-Index, achieving fourth place in 2023 and rising 12 places since 2021.
The GDS-Index evaluates sustainability across four key areas: Destination Management, Supplier Performance, Environmental Performance and Social Performance.
This year, Helsinki ranked first in Destination Management, Supplier Performance and Environmental Performance and second in Social Progress.
Other cities in the top 10 include Gothenburg, Sweden (2); Copenhagen, Denmark (3); Bergen, Norway (4); Aarhus, Denmark (5); Bordeaux, France (6); Singapore (7); Oslo, Norway (8); Belfast, UK (9) and Sydney in 10th spot.
Melbourne (24) and Brisbane (33) also made it into the top 40 most sustainable travel destination cities on the 2024 GDS-Index.
Helsinki on track for most sustainable travel destination
Helsinki Mayor Juhana Vartianinen said the 2024 GDS-Index ranking reflected city’s long-term strategy to be the smartest and most sustainable travel destination.
“Being named the world’s most sustainable travel destination is proof of the long-term work that has been done in Helsinki. We are developing and growing tourism sustainably together with tourism operators and local residents. The first place we have now achieved indicates that we are on the right path,” he said.
The city invests in the social sustainability of tourism by supporting local businesses on their path to sustainability and increasing tourist destination development resources.
In addition to tourism, Helsinki is committed to reducing emissions in all its activities to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. More than 30 per cent of the city’s bus fleet is electrified and more than 30km of tramways will be introduced in the next decade.
City of Helsinki Tourism Director Nina Vesterinen said: “International studies show that travellers are increasingly looking for more sustainable services and destinations.”
“There will no doubt be increasing demand for the world’s most sustainable travel destination in the future.”
Finland was also named the happiest country in the world for the sixth consecutive year (World Happiness Report) and the world’s healthiest city (Money) in 2023 as well as the second-most gender-equal country in 2022 (World Economic Forum).
Take note, advisors: Finnair reopened an Australian office last year and Skyscanner revealed that Rovaniemi, Finland aka Santa Claus Village is trending among Aussie travellers in 2025.
