Manchester begins journey towards sustainable tourism leadership

The GDS is a trusted performance improvement programme designed to assess and accelerate a destination’s progress on its sustainability journey and support destinations by offering actionable improvements.  

The report scores against a destination’s performance, including work with stakeholders, businesses, and communities, social progress performance, including safety and inclusivity, supplier performance and the tourism industry supply chain, and a city’s overall commitment to climate change. All cities that enter must demonstrate a strong commitment to creating a positive impact on their city, residents, and visitors.  

In the 2024 report, Manchester has ranked 59 out of 100 cities scoring 63.3%. Manchester is the second highest-ranking city in England after Bristol, entering the top 60 countries in its first entry, which is a significant achievement.  

The top 40 cities are recognised as leaders in sustainability, allowing Manchester to learn from its peers and use their actions as a benchmark for success. 

Manchester’s ambition to become a leader in sustainable tourism is motivated by the region’s goal of becoming carbon-neutral by 2038 and its overarching drive to become a greener, fairer, and more prosperous city-region. However, it is also supported by the desire to build a more resilient and future-proof visitor economy that protects the region’s natural environment and maximises the benefits for local communities and residents. 

Any new actions identified by the index will be supported by the launch of a new Greater Manchester Visitor Economy Strategy later this year and a revised five-year environment plan for Greater Manchester that will address energy, the built environment, transport, nature, circular economy, air quality, and a greener economy.  

By combining these ambitions and recommendations, to create a clear plan of action, the region can take a holistic approach to decarbonisation; making it easier for visitors to make sustainable choices, but also for businesses to embrace a greener way of working, addressing issues like waste, energy use, transport, and staff engagement. 

Marketing Manchester, the agency tasked with the promotion of Greater Manchester as a leading global destination to visit, invest, meet, and study, hired its first Sustainable Tourism Manager earlier this year and is now working with businesses across the sector to reduce carbon emissions, give back to the local community, and implement greener ways of working.   

Another element of Marketing Manchester’s work involves helping visitors make sustainable choices when they come to the city, making green credentials readily available, and promoting how to visit in a climate-positive and socially beneficial way. 

Victoria Braddock, Managing Director of Marketing Manchester, said: “Ranking in the top 60 of the Global Destination Sustainability Index on our first attempt, marks a significant milestone in our city’s sustainability journey. However, it also highlights that we have work to do if we are to become a greener destination for both the millions of visitors our city attracts each year, and the business working in our visitor economy.  

“The GDS Index will allow us to benchmark against other leading European cities and identify areas for improvement.  These insights, combined with the strategies we’re putting in place over the next year will ensure Manchester is on track to becoming a global leader in sustainable tourism and becoming a top 40 city in the coming years.” 

Richard Walker, Sustainable Tourism Manager at Marketing Manchester, added: “Being the second highest-scoring English city in the GDS rankings is a great achievement and a testament to the work Greater Manchester has already put in place to become greener; through investment in sustainable transport, nature recovery and decarbonisation support for businesses.  

“We’re aware there is still a lot of progress to be made in this space and encourage the entire visitor economy to support us on this journey; whether that’s engaging with our business support programmes, implementing sustainability plans, or taking small steps to become greener like reducing waste or energy use. By working together, our region can set a precedent and be at the forefront of positive action.” 

To learn more about Manchester’s GDS Index Ranking view its GDS Summary report on https://www.gds.earth/destination/manchester/2024/.

ENDS