Green Destinations & Good Travel Event at ITB Berlin

The global sustainable tourism community gathered to celebrate Good Practice Stories from the 2025 Top 100 Stories list.

The selection for the awards was conducted by the Green Destinations Story Awards International Jury of Experts. The important selection criteria included the level of storytelling, the effectiveness of the best practices in solving real problems in tourism sustainability, and the extent to which they can be applied elsewhere.

Meet the Winners

Being recognised as a Best Global Good Practice Story is a powerful acknowledgement of a destination’s leadership, commitment, innovation, and investment in advancing sustainable tourism. Destinations can honour this achievement by sharing proven approaches that others can learn from and replicate, inspiring the global tourism community and accelerating the industry’s transition toward a more sustainable future.

During the event, newly Awarded and Certified Destinations were officially recognised for their achievements in sustainable destination management under the Green Destinations Awards and Certification Programme. These recognitions are based on independent assessment and reflect compliance with internationally recognised sustainability standards.

Congratulations to all destinations on these outstanding achievements!

The event showcased the Good Travel Experience destination guide approach, under the auspices of the Good Travel Alliance, starting with the first guide for Istanbul. These guides curate verified tourism activities that are responsibly managed and locally beneficial, helping travellers explore destinations through practical, positive impact experiences.

The event also marked the launch of the Good Travel Stories Competition, a brand-new initiative under the Good Travel Alliance, designed to transform verified tourism experiences into engaging stories that inspire travellers. The competition invites DMOs, tourism businesses and organisations to submit responsible travel experiences that demonstrate credible positive impact.

The evening also featured the official unveiling of the host destination for the Green Destinations 2026 Global Conference. JOIN US IN 🇸🇮 KRANJ, SLOVENIA, 27- 29 October.

This year, the Green Destinations Conference comes alive in the charming city of Kranj, the third-largest city of Slovenia and a proud recipient of the Slovenia Green Platinum Level: The nation’s highest recognition for sustainable tourism. Set against a backdrop of alpine landscapes and centuries-old heritage, the event will once again gather inspiring experts, bold decision-makers and forward-thinking innovators from across the globe, all united by one goal: shaping a more responsible and resilient future for tourism.

The Good Travel Alliance Summit 2026 was announced as an invitation-only global B2B gathering in Istanbul, taking place from 26 to 28 November 2026. It will convene destinations and industry partners to align on standards, partnerships, and market mechanisms that can scale credible positive impact travel.

SAVE THE DATE! MORE INFORMATION COMING SOON

During the event, Green Destinations highlighted how White Label initiatives enable countries and regions to implement the Green Destinations and Good Travel frameworks under their own national identity while maintaining internationally recognised standards, transparency, and independent assessment. This approach allows national tourism authorities to engage entire tourism ecosystems—destinations, businesses, and communities—while aligning policy with measurable sustainability progress. A leading example is Thailand Good Travel, a national programme integrating tools such as the Green Destinations Awards and the Good Travel Seal to mobilise sustainable tourism across the country.

During the event, another recent example presented was Green Bursa in Türkiye, a White Label initiative for tourism businesses. This programme supports local enterprises in adopting more responsible practices while gaining international recognition through the Good Travel Seal, helping strengthen sustainability across the city’s tourism sector.