Belfast ranks number eight and Kerry 16th globally in new GDSI sustainability index

The Belfast region ranked 8th globally with 87.06 points
Kerry ranked 16th globally and number two in Ireland in the 2026 GDS-Index
Kerry scored 84.24pc and retained its place in the global Top 20 for the eighth consecutive year
Dublin City ranked 17th, Cork 22nd, Clare 24th, Galway 27th, and Limerick 32nd
All eight participating Irish regions improved their placements in 2026

Belfast has ranked number eighth globally and Kerry 16th in the Global Destination Sustainability Index 2026, which was dominated once more by Scandinavia, which won five of the top ten places. The result has highlighted the county’s performance on environmental and sustainable tourism measures.

Belfast region achieved Ireland’s highest score (87.06 points, ranking 8th globally). Scoring 84.24pc for its overall sustainability performance, Kerrty retained its place in the global Top 20 for the eighth consecutive year. The GDS-Index benchmarks the health, environmental, social, and economic sustainability strategies of international tourism and event destinations.

The collaborative efforts between local authorities, industry groups like the Kerry Convention Bureau, and tourism bodies helped propel multiple Irish destinations into the global top tier. Dublin City ranked 17th with 83.76pc. Cork ranked 22nd with 82.59pc. Clare ranked 24th with 81.79pc. Galway ranked 27th with 80.47pc. Limerick ranked 32nd with 75.53pc. Belfast also ranked 8th globally with 87.06 points.

The GDS-Index 2026 marks a historic milestone for global tourism, recording its highest average sustainability performance (74.27pc) since benchmarking began in 2016. Released in late September 2026, the data shows that nearly 90% of evaluated destinations improved their environmental, social, supplier, and destination management strategies over the past year.

European destinations continue to dominate the upper echelons of the index, though the gap between the historic frontrunners and the rest of the world is rapidly closing.

Helsinki, Finland: Secured the overall number one spot globally for the third consecutive year with an exceptional score of 92.94pc.
Gothenburg, Sweden: Maintained its powerful standing, finishing 2nd in the world.
Copenhagen, Denmark: Earned 3rd place globally, standing out as the only city in the top three to increase its absolute score this year.
Montréal, Canada: Shook up the ranking by jumping from 20th to 9th place overall. Driven by Tourisme Montréal, it scored an unmatched 98pc in Destination Management, making it the first non-European city to lead that category.
Aarhus, Denmark (90.12pc, 4th), Aalborg, Denmark (88.24pc, 5th), Glasgow, Scotland (6th), Sydney, Australia (7th, and Reykjavik, Iceland (10th).