Sustainable Tourism Made Simple – How We Measure It, What It Means, and How You Can Contribute

The aim of i-dest.com is to show how tourism can become more environmentally conscious, responsible, and sustainable. On our website, you can discover destinations and tourism services that place a strong emphasis on sustainability. We help you easily understand which locations and service providers support sustainable development, and how they contribute to environmental protection and the well-being of local communities. i-dest.com places special focus on sustainable tourism by providing detailed insights into the sustainability performance of destinations and tourism services.

i-dest.com places a strong emphasis on sustainable tourism, providing detailed insights into the sustainability levels of destinations and tourism services.

How is sustainability marked on i-dest.com?

On our website, for every destination and service provider we indicate how they relate to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These goals—such as nature conservation, the use of clean energy, or support for local economies—help visitors understand how committed a destination or service provider is to sustainability.

In addition, we use a dedicated system to present sustainability performance, developed in line with the standards of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). This information can be found at the bottom of each location’s page and is shown in percentage form, indicating how well the site meets each sustainability criterion.

I-DEST.COM’s own aggregated sustainability label

For every location on the site, you will see a clover-shaped icon system that provides a clear, aggregated overview of the sustainability level of the destination or service.

1 leaf (40–60%) – First steps: the location has started its journey towards sustainability.
2 leaves (60–75%) – Conscious development: continuous efforts are being made to operate more sustainably.
3 leaves (75–90%) – Exemplary: the location makes an outstanding contribution to achieving sustainability goals.
4 leaves (above 90%) – Most sustainable: leading destinations and services that fully represent sustainability.

These icons are displayed in the top right corner of each destination or service page, allowing you to see their sustainability level at a glance.

How is sustainability marked on i-dest.com?

Where does the data come from?

The sustainability levels are primarily based on self-reported information provided by the destinations and service providers themselves. The aim of i-dest.com is to offer the most accurate and transparent information possible; however, responsibility for the validity of the data lies with the individual location or provider.

If a destination does not complete the data required for the sustainability index, but the editors consider it important to list the place because it is taking meaningful steps towards sustainability, these efforts are presented in written, descriptive form instead of a numerical score.

When a destination or service provider already holds an official, third-party sustainability certification that is recognised by i-dest.com, this is clearly indicated on the relevant pages.

Why does this matter?

Sustainability matters not only for nature and environmental protection, but also because it supports local communities, helps preserve cultural heritage, and encourages more responsible tourism. The goal of i-dest.com is to recommend destinations and services that care about the future.

If you would like to support sustainability too, choose your next travel destination consciously on i-dest.com.