What is the Green Destinations Top 100 Stories?

The Green Destinations Top 100 Stories is an annual competition launched in 2014 to help destinations at different stages of their journey towards sustainable and regenerative tourism. The Top 100 is an effective tool for every destination, whether they are looking to learn more about reporting and communicating sustainability, wanting to establish themselves as an industry leader by sharing an innovative project implemented, or looking for an achievable yet ambitious first step to learn more about destination sustainability guidelines.

A Good Practice Story to encourage knowledge-sharing and position your destination effectively….

The focus of the competition is the Good Practice Stories submitted by destinations: a mix between good practices and storytelling. These are powerful tools to be used to inspire other destinations, but also tour operators and visitors and attract better visitors. The Top 100 list is composed of the 100 stories that receive the highest score. 

You can find here the Good Practice Story submitted by the Falkland Islands. 

A first step to understand where you stand on the basic guidelines for sustainability…

To ensure that they collect stories from destinations committed to sustainable and regenerative tourism, Green Destinations asks participants to complete the Sustainability Check. This first eligibility step asks destinations to self-report on the Green Destinations Core Criteria: a set of guidelines that they have identified as the basics for sustainability performance. It enables destinations to familiarise themselves with the Green Destinations Standard, the process of self-reporting for sustainability certification, and, most importantly, understand where they stand in terms of these fundamental criteria. Destinations must achieve at least 60% compliance to pass this step. However, this score is not considered for the final selection (entirely based on the Good Practice Story results).

Destinations participating for the first time are asked to self-report on the following 15 Core Criteria: 

• 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 entrepreneurs
• Promoting local products and services
• Health & safety
• Promoting sustainability among enterprises
• Sustainable destination coordinator

Find out more about the methodology of the competition on the Green Destinations website.

Training provided throughout…

Green Destinations has developed extensive training and guidance based on best practices to guide and support destinations throughout this process. This training will provide destinations with the essential skills and knowledge to comply with the Core Criteria and communicate sustainability efforts to apply outside of the competition. Up to 3 members of the destination management team can access the training.

As Green Destinations Representative, Acorn Tourism can also support you to ensure that you have the best chances to be selected.

What do you get out of it?

On top of the training, guidance, best practices, and evaluations, Green Destinations puts a lot of effort to promote these stories and destinations in collaboration with the Good Travel Guide. You will become a part of the Green Destinations network, along with like-minded destinations worldwide. You will have the opportunity to tell your story at some of Green Destinations thematic global events (including the Global Green Destinations Days). Your Good Practice Story will also automatically be considered for the Green Destinations Story Awards at ITB Berlin.

Find out all about the competition in the Call for Application.

Interested in learning more? Reach out to Alison Burgh: alison@acorntourism.co.uk or +44 1580 879970