A number of destinations have embraced the challenge. Here are the ones that spring to our mind first. Interested in finding out what others are doing and if that is swaying destination choices!
Berlin - Berlin is leading the way by making sustainability and environmental awareness its trademark. They have created a set of tools to help event planners find sustainable venues. The unique MEET+CHANGE programme enables event planners to access special locations for meetings and workshops in Berlin by making rooms exclusively available in a wide range of social and cultural facilities. Their green meetings & events conference, launched in 2011, takes place every 2 years to discuss and be educated on all things sustainability. https://convention.visitberlin.de/en/sustainable-meetings-berlin
Zurich - In 2016, Zurich was named the top sustainable city in the world, according to the Arcadis Sustainable Cities Index. The city was praised for its dedication to improving the environment with specific reference to the cities’ plan to become a 2000-watt society – an amount considered globally to be sustainable energy use for a city.
Bordeaux - Bordeaux has put together a Good Practice guide and a dedicated website for sustainability https://congress.bordeaux-tourism.co.uk/Organise-your-event/Sustainable-events
Tokyo - The Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau has published the Sustainability Guidelines for Business Events in Tokyo. These are intended to serve as a tool for event organisers to refer to when organising sustainable events. With these guidelines, TCVB also aims to inspire the local meetings and conferencing sector to meet and surpass global sustainable standards. https://businesseventstokyo.org/tokyo-mice-sustainability-guidelines/
Thailand - The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) has launched its new ‘Meet Sustainable’ financial subsidy yesterday — a first for Thailand’s MICE industry. Designed as a way to help position Thailand as the sustainable practices leader in the Asia Pacific region, the grant will provide recipient meeting and incentive groups with up to THB200,000 in hard cash to achieve this ambition. Support will be offered to groups with a minimum attendance of 50 international delegates, who will stay for at least three nights in Thailand, while at the same time also complying with two TCEB’s criteria for sustainable event practices.https://www.traveldailymedia.com/tceb-offer-thb200000-cash-to-events-organisers-who-meet-sustainability-criteria/