Glasgow has been recognised as one of the world’s leading destinations for sustainable tourism and events, ranking sixth globally and first in the UK in the 2026 Global Destination Sustainability (GDS) Index.
The annual international index benchmarks destinations on how they are making tourism, conferences and events more sustainable, assessing everything from environmental and social performance to the sustainability of hotels, venues and visitor attractions.
Glasgow has participated in the GDS Index since 2016, with 2026 marking a decade of benchmarking the city’s progress alongside destinations around the world.
The recognition comes as sustainability becomes an increasingly important part of the Glasgow visitor experience – from greener hotels and venues to low-carbon ways of exploring the city and experiences that connect visitors with Glasgow’s communities, culture and natural environment.
Almost three quarters, 73%, of Glasgow’s hotels now hold green accreditation, up from 66% at the time of the city’s 2025 submission. Eight out of Glasgow’s top 10 visitor attractions also hold third-party sustainability certification.
For visitors, there are plenty of ways to experience the city sustainably. Glasgow is known as the ‘Dear Green Place’, with more than 90 parks and gardens, while more than 300km of cycleways provide opportunities to explore the city on two wheels. The city also has an electric sightseeing bus.
Among the city’s sustainable visitor highlights are, The Burrell Collection, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum and The Hidden Gardens, offering visitors opportunities to combine culture, heritage, nature and community during their time in Glasgow.
Visitors can also discover Glasgow’s distinctive approach to sustainability through attractions and experiences including SWG3, where renewable heating and cooling technology captures body heat generated by dancers, and Glasgow Science Centre, with its sustainability-focused experiences.
Beyond the city, sustainable experiences include cycling and walking at Whitelee Windfarm, the UK’s largest onshore windfarm, as well as visiting nearby Glengoyne Distillery, where whisky production is powered by renewable electricity.
For more inspiration go to visitglasgow.com
