TOP 10 SUSTAINABLE DESTINATIONS IN 2026

The only representative of Iceland on the list, Reykjavik has demonstrated strong environmental performance and has improved its score among the sustainable destinations compared to previous years. The country’s unique geography and strong focus on renewable energy have helped the capital to provide a unique experience for its visitors while still being mindful of the environment.

Montreal has demonstrated excellence across all categories of sustainable destination management, with a special focus on strategic planning, making it to the first place in the Destination Management category with a nearly perfect score. With several Canadian entries across the top 20, North America saw the most significant improvement among destinations outside Europe.

Shared with Sydney, Belfast has also improved dramatically this year and has demonstrated strong performance across several categories. While the city has focused its efforts on general destination management and supplier management practices, its commitment to environmental performance has earned it a spot in the global top 10.

Making its way into the top 10 for the first time in recent years, Sydney is the only representative of Oceania in the ranking. The city has seen a particularly strong performance gain across environmental categories and has improved its overall score dramatically compared to the past year, securing the 7th position among the most sustainable destinations in the world.

The first British city to make it to the top 5 is Glasgow. Outperforming the rest of the UK’s entries, Glasgow has shown to be a serious contender this year with special focus on its strong destination management practices and environmental performance.

Another Danish city that made it to the top 5 is Aalborg. Compared to the rest of its Nordic counterparts, Aalborg has a slight edge in terms of environmental performance, and its strategic approach to destination management has received special praise from the GDS-Movement.

With the help of a well-structured sustainability policy and excellent performance across all categories, Aarhus has joined the ranks of the world’s top three most sustainable destinations. The city scored particularly high in destination management and supplier management, and it has overtaken several Nordic competitors to claim the 4th position.

The capital of Denmark has been waiting for its turn at the top spot, and it appears that 2026 is the year of Copenhagen. Consistently strong across all categories, its sustainability strategy has focused on environmental performance while managing to improve its destination management practices in the past few years.

Sweden is represented in the top 3 by its second-largest city of Gothenburg. Similar to other Nordic contenders, Gothenburg has a strong strategy in terms of supplier management and environmental performance, as well as a close collaboration between the city’s DMO and local businesses to reach the shared vision of a sustainable destination.

The capital of Finland has secured the first position for the third year running. Consistently high across all categories, Helsinki’s sustainability performance relies on its climate action strategy, extensive environmental certification of hotels, efficient transport, and well-developed destination management strategies that take into account the needs of both tourists and locals. Other Nordic countries may have an advantage in terms of sustainability, but Helsinki appears to have the edge when it comes to strategic planning and transparency.