Collaboration Overcomes the “Impossible”
Day one began at Zwim Nature Park, an ideal location to set the tone of possibility and regeneration, where participants engaged in hands-on workshops and case study presentations. The forum’s “Pigs Tanks” Building Blocks – a structured framework of discussion topics – came to life. These building blocks included key areas such as Climate Action, Social Impact, Digital and AI Innovation, and Visitor Management. Through these lenses, participants explored complex challenges and creative solutions in sustainable tourism.
Workshops challenged participants to explore the limits of possibility, with case studies showcasing initiatives from diverse destinations. Highlights included the “Urban Climate Leaders” group, led by Helsinki and Tampere, which brought competitors together to drive joint climate solutions and sign the Sustainable Travel Finland programme, and Belfast’s “Change the Menu for Good” project, which creatively redirected event food waste towards community support, resulting in over 58.000 meals donated to local food banks.
Vancouver’s social procurement guide, developed with Buy Social Canada, aimed to address economic disparities across tourism, hospitality, and events. Another noteworthy initiative came from Sydney, where the Sustainable Destination Partnership expanded its efforts from emissions and waste to an integrated communications campaign. By pooling resources from various local partners, Sydney amplified its sustainability message, creating a unified front that connected residents, tourists, and businesses in a shared commitment to environmental goals.
Tina Toribaba of This is Athens – Convention & Visitors Bureau, shared: “It was an enriching experience, filled with inspiring conversations and actionable ideas. I was struck by the emphasis on collaboration whether in tackling climate action, fostering sustainable tourism, or shifting mindsets from ‘we can’t’ to ‘how could we not’. The interactive workshops pushed us to think beyond the impossible, proving that even audacious goals can be achieved when we come together.”
Guy Bigwood, leader of the GDS-Movement, said: “Our aim was to bring together leaders to foster meaningful discussions, share insights, and spark innovation. The incredible energy, dedication, and collaborative spirit on display led to 14 groundbreaking solutions addressing some of our industry’s most pressing challenges.” From creating a campaign showcasing the benefits of tourism for both residents and visitors to putting together a white paper measuring concrete social impact or creating an app for zero food waste, these solutions offered a starting point for some of the actions the GDS Movement will be conducting in the next year.
At the Crowne Plaza Bruges, the second day focused on fine-tuning these solutions and strategies. Discussions centred on overcoming obstacles to transformation, enhancing essential skills for tomorrow’s challenges, and fostering ‘supersonic’ innovations to accelerate sustainable impact. The “Let Pigs Fly” theme was again present in these activities, which tackled issues such as overtourism, social impact, and sustainable procurement, all aimed at bridging community benefit with visitor satisfaction.
The GDS-Awards 2024
The forum ended with the much-anticipated GDS-Awards ceremony, held at the Bruges National Theatre. The GDS-Awards, now in its 9th edition, celebrate excellence in destination leadership, innovation, improvement, and legacy initiatives.
The 2024 GDS-Awards honoured winners across four key categories:
The Leadership Award, based on the GDS-Index ranking, went to Helsinki, Finland, for their continued leadership in integrating sustainability into every aspect of their tourism strategy.
The Most Improved Destination Award, which recognises destinations that have made significant strides in their sustainability efforts year-on-year, was given to Kumamoto, Japan.
The Innovation Award highlights creative solutions that have the potential to transform tourism practices. Copenhagen won this award for their trailblazing work in sustainable tourism.
The Impact Award, in collaboration with #MEET4IMPACT, celebrates destinations that have achieved profound socio-economic and environmental impact. An independent panel of judges including your truly, found Copenhagen legacy Lab worthy of the award.
The conference’s non-static and interactive setup helped participants to learn and collaborate towards innovative solutions. Ingrid Grimbergen from Maastricht Convention Bureau praised the forum’s approach: “It’s a way more fun and interactive conference than usual. The community engagement aspect really appealed to me. Overtourism is a challenge, but there is a way to make the city a nice place for every group.”
In fact, many participants noted the need for a profound shift in tourism strategy – from one focused solely on visitors to one that meaningfully benefits local communities. The dialogue brought about a recurring theme: that a startup mentality, coupled with continuity across events, is essential to bring ‘flying’ ideas into action and sustain momentum for change.
The GDS Forum demonstrated that pushing the boundaries of tourism isn’t just possible – it’s already happening. As Bigwood concluded: “The insights gained, and connections forged will not only shape strategies but are essential for driving the transformative change needed to ensure a thriving and sustainable future.”
