For the second year in a row, Ljubljana has ranked among the world’s 40 most sustainable destinations in the Global Destination Sustainability Index, an international sustainability benchmarking programme organised by the Global Destination Sustainability Movement. Ljubljana ranked 36th and improved its performance across all areas of assessment compared with the previous year.

The GDS-Index is an international benchmarking tool that tracks and evaluates tourism destinations’ sustainability progress across four areas: environment, social sustainability, suppliers, and destination management. Ljubljana has participated in the index since 2018 and has steadily improved its score year after year. This year, with an overall score of 74.35, it ranked 36th, three places higher than last year, when it ranked 39th with a score of 70.76. Securing a spot among the world’s top 40 destinations once again provides long-term, systematic validation of the city’s sustainability efforts.

The greatest progress was in ​​social sustainability, where assessments cover factors such as safety, health, accessibility, and resident inclusion. The city also scored higher in destination management, a category that evaluates strategic planning with clearly defined goals, indicators, and action plans; the management of tourism flows; the monitoring of tourism’s economic, social, and environmental impacts; stakeholder education; and the promotion of sustainable mobility. For suppliers, the assessment focuses on their commitment to sustainable practices and the destination’s support—from training and incentives to programs for the circular economy, sustainable food systems, and climate action. The environmental score reflects Ljubljana’s performance in climate change mitigation, water and waste management, air quality, and biodiversity conservation.

Northern European destinations once again hold the top spots in this year’s rankings: Helsinki, Gothenburg, Copenhagen, Aarhus, Aalborg, and Glasgow. The GDS Index is not a competition between destinations, but rather a tool for benchmarking performance, sharing best practices, and fostering collective progress toward sustainability. This year’s rankings highlighted the increasingly important role of destination management organisations in steering destination development. Their work goes beyond promotion; it increasingly includes monitoring tourism impacts, managing visitor flows, and bringing together cities, residents, service providers, and other stakeholders to shape the destination’s development.

Learn more about Ljubljana and its sustainable endeavours here.