GREEN DESTINATIONS TOP 100
Destinations Sustainability Stories Competition
Applications for the 2021 Top 100 competition now OPEN

Who can participate?
Municipalities (cities, towns or rural communities), islands, protected areas and private destinations are eligible to participate in the competition.
MUNICIPALITIES
ISLANDS
PRIVATE DESTINATIONS
PROTECTED AREAS
Exceptional cases
- Countries and regions may be eligible when their size is less than 50,000 sq km.
- Private destinations (such as eco-lodges and privately-owned protected areas) are eligible if there is effective stewardship for a considerable area that is otherwise not managed.
Not eligible: Accommodations, single buildings, attractions and theme parks are not eligible.
How to participate?
Eligible destinations can complete the following Registration form to submit their online application.
Destinations then will receive a login to Green Destinations’ online assessment platform to complete STEP 1 of the competition.
STEP 1: Sustainability Check
This step includes:
- A brief destination description, a map, a sustainability pitch, and 5 copyright-free pictures (high-resolution, 1 MB or more)
- A summary of what the destination is doing to adhere to the relevant policy and management criteria of the Green Destinations Standard
Destinations which reach at least 60% compliance with the core sustainability criteria they were evaluated on in STEP 1, will be invited to participate in STEP 2.
STEP 2: Good Practice Story
A story is structured by actors, presents a problem, a climax point and a solution. Then, a good practice story is a well-detailed explanation of a sustainability project that the destination is executing. The selection to be part of the 2021 Top 100 Destination Sustainability Stories list will be based fully on the Good Practice Story evaluations, based on 5 criteria:
- Completeness of document
- Level of innovation
- Level of effectiveness
- Level of transferability
- Presence of the three sustainability pillars
For 2021 Top 100 destinations will be asked to submit a Good Practice Story, focusing on one of the following categories:
Localizing the destination supply chain
Decarbonizing the destination supply chain
Tourism Reset & Recovery
Environment & Climate
Culture & Communities
Nature & Ecotourism
Top 100 Training
Participants to the 2021 Top 100 competition will have access to the Top 100 training. The training will cover the following modules:
Green Destinations core criteria
- Overview of the GSTC recognised Green Destination Standard
- 15 core criteria for 1st year applicants and 30 core criteria for 2nd year applicants
How to write a Good Practice Story
- What is a Good Practice Story?
- How to identify and write it?
How do we evaluate?
STEP 1:
The evaluation of applications will be supported by the Top 100 Team and by an international pool of experts.
STEP 2:
The evaluation of Good Practice Story is based on the following criteria:
- Completeness of documentation
- Level of innovation
- Effectiveness
- Transferability of innovation
- Presence of the Sustainability pillars (Economic, Social and Environmental).
First year applicant must address 15 of the 30 core criteria.
Second year applicant must address all 30 core criteria.
- Sustainable destination coordinator
- Inventory of destination assets
- Destination management policy or strategy
- Responding to tourism impacts on nature
- Landscape & Scenery
- Solid waste reduction
- Reducing transport emissions from travel
- Reducing energy consumption
- Tangible cultural heritage
- Intangible heritage
- Community involvement in planning
- Supporting local enterpreneurs
- Promoting local products and services
- Health & safety
- Promoting sustainability among enterprises
All 1st year criteria +
- Managing visitor pressure
- Visitor behaviour at sensitive sites
- Nature conservation & tourism monitoring/li>
- Animal welfare
- Noise
- Light pollution
- Waste water treatment
- Waste separation & recycling
- Renewable Energy
- Responding to climate risks
- Managing tourism impacts on culture
- Human rights
- Inhabitant satisfaction
- Property exploitation
- Sustainability standards
Our jury
Nominations are then reviewed based on quality and comprehensibility of the provided information, supervised and supported by the Sustainable Top 100 Destinations Jury consisting of international top experts on tourism and sustainability:

Albert Salman, Founder and President of the Jury
The Netherlands

Hugo de Jong
The Netherlands
ANY QUESTIONS?
For questions about the Top 100 Destinations Sustainability Stories competition please see our FAQ section or contact us at