Here are the 5 greenest destinations of 2025 for sustainable tourism

It's no secret that as travelers become increasingly conscious of their environmental impact, destinations have scrambled to burnish their eco-credentials. 

But here's something you might not know: Only a few places actually deserve to be called green. 

I spent the last year touring the Americas, Europe and Asia trying to sort the green from the greenwashed, and what I found might surprise you.

In an era where sustainability has become a marketing buzzword, only five nations stand out for their genuine commitment to eco-friendly tourism. From Finland's ambitious carbon-negative goals to Switzerland's Swisstainable philosophy, each country offers a noteworthy approach to balancing environmental stewardship with memorable travel experiences. 

Finland

This Scandinavian country doesn't mince words when it comes to sustainability: It wants to be number one.

You can see it in places like Turku, a college town known for its pharmaceutical and shipbuilding industries.

I spoke with Minna Arve, Turku's mayor, who told me about the city's advanced sustainability program, which is already underway. They include a climate-neutral district heating system and the creation of a Digital Climate Situation Room, where officials collect and analyze information about the city's energy use and emissions and then share it with citizens. By 2029, Turku aims to be carbon-negative.

You can also see Finland's commitment to sustainability in Helsinki. It aspires to nothing less than the top ranking in the prestigious Global Destination Sustainability Index (GDSI), a key measure of sustainability.

The GDSI rates places based on factors such as air pollution levels and the number of cycling paths and eco-friendly hotel rooms. Helsinki's sustainability efforts are extensive. They include programs for social, ecological, economic and cultural sustainability. 

"Every year, we do better," says Jukka Punamäki, Helsinki's senior advisor for tourism. 

Finland's pursuit of tourism sustainability is decidedly low-key, as are most things in Scandinavia. But its efforts are being closely watched by other sustainable destinations -- and by visitors who care about their environmental impact.

Germany
Germany has taken sustainability seriously for years, long before it became a tourism buzzword. In 2017, Berlin adopted a plan to develop diverse attractions and promote sustainable tourism. Since then, the city has won awards for its sustainability program and mentored other cities in their sustainability efforts.

I spoke with Luisa Mentz, the sustainability manager for Visit Berlin, about the city's efforts to become green. She says it hasn't always been easy. The first visitors who were interested in sustainability were people who came to the city for meetings -- and it was their travel manager asking. Being green was one item on a checklist. But lately, that has changed.

Some visitors are now looking for a more sustainable vacation experience, and they are performing their due diligence before planning a trip. They're checking a destination's green credentials. They're reviewing their sustainability plans. And they're planning greener activities, like cycling or urban hikes.

"There are groups out there, and they are very interested in sustainability," she told me. "One of the things we're trying to do is reach them with our message."

But Germany's commitment to sustainability extends beyond the capital. Consider the Biostadt Schmilka, a sustainable resort on the bank of the Elbe river near the Czech border. Sven-Erik Hitze, the resort's creator, told me that visitors like the idea of a responsible vacation. Organic food tastes better. Guests sleep better in a bed that hasn't been laminated with harmful chemicals. 

Hitze's next goal is making sustainability more affordable. He told me he plans to restore an old farmhouse in Schmilka and turn it into a hostel with inexpensive rooms.

Ireland
In 2016, Dublin adopted a sweeping sustainability plan that adds infrastructure with more green spaces to mitigate the effects of climate change. But there, too, people have been thinking about being green for much longer.

You can see it in places like Anantara The Marker Dublin Hotel, a luxury hotel in the new Docklands neighborhood, which offers a special sustainable food tour. It's called Spice Spoons, and it takes visitors on a journey to the seaside village of Howth for a private boat excursion around a historic island. Then offers a behind-the-scenes look at making smoked salmon. The adventure ends with a cooking class at the hotel. The entire tour is sustainability-themed.

"There is an ongoing conversation about sustainability that we're having here," says Gareth Mullins, executive chef at Anantara The Marker Dublin Hotel.

Out in the Irish countryside, sustainability is on people's minds, too. Case in point: Kilkea Castle Estate & Golf Club, an 844-year-old fortress that underwent a green conversion when it became a hotel.

Adrian Mooney, the property's sales director, says the hotel has never stopped thinking about how to be green. 

"We're very committed to sustainability," he told me. 

Kilkea Castle eliminated single-use plastics, implemented an aggressive recycling program and sourced restaurant meals locally to avoid leaving an oversized carbon footprint. It planted vegetables in its English garden and served them to guests, who wanted an authentic farm-to-table experience. It also launched an effort to harness the nearby river for hydroelectric power and drill for geothermal energy.

Sweden
How sustainable is Sweden? So sustainable that it's almost taken for granted. "Sustainability is in our DNA," says Katarina Thorstensson, who works for Gothenburg & Co, the city's destination management organization.

It's been that way for a while. Gothenburg, on Sweden's west coast, has been at it for more than 20 years. Around 2000, meeting planners began to talk about the need for sustainability. That's when it started to quietly build a reputation as one of the most sustainable tourism destinations in the world.

How sustainable is it? Gothenburg's famous museums, from the Museum of Design and Craft to the Gothenburg Museum of Art, offer advanced sustainability programs that are so integrated into their operations that they don't even stand out.

Volvo, the environmentally forward auto manufacturer, has its headquarters in Gothenburg, and its World of Volvo showcases the company's many green initiatives. The events space hosts a mix of exhibitions, cultural events and conferences, and features restaurants with Nordic cuisine -- all with the highest sustainability goals. Gothenburg is the world's most sustainable city, according to the GDSI. 

The sustainability extends to Stockholm, where museums have advanced programs to promote recycling and green energy. Many restaurants have next-level environmental initiatives to reduce food waste or grow vegetables in hydroponic gardens.

The dynamic nature of being a green destination is that the goalposts keep moving, says Camilla Zedendahl, CEO of the Royal Djurgården Society.

"It's an ongoing journey," she told me.

Switzerland
Switzerland has ambitious tourism sustainability initiatives meant to encourage visitors to experience nature, Swiss culture, local products -- and to stay longer. The Swiss even have a word for it: Swisstainable. 

Being Swisstainable means conserving resources, using renewable energy and emphasizing locally produced items that leave a small carbon footprint. One of the best ways to see Swisstainability in action is on a specialty tour such as Trafalgar's Contrasts of Switzerland, a one-week rail tour across the country. There are stops that showcase Switzerland's next-level commitment to sustainability, including in Zürich, St. Moritz, Zermatt, Geneva and Lucerne.

Zürich is a standout. The city intends to reach net zero for greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. To accomplish this it is reducing energy consumption and switching to environmentally friendly energy sources. 

Tourism officials emphasize that their sustainability goes far beyond recycling. It includes a sweeping Zurich Takes Responsibility plan that encourages visitors to use environmentally friendly mass transit and subsidizes hotel partners to pursue sustainability certifications. 

"Sustainability is part of everything we do," says Barbara Walther, a sustainability manager for Zürich Tourism, the city's tourism destination management organization.

From Finland's Digital Climate Situation Room to Switzerland's Swisstainable attractions, it's clear that the future of travel is greener than a kale smoothie. But unlike that smoothie, these destinations are actually palatable. So maybe in 2025, it's OK to indulge in some guilt-free globetrotting. Mother Earth will thank you.

Christopher Elliott is an author, consumer advocate, and journalist. He founded Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that helps solve consumer problems. He publishes Elliott Confidential, a travel newsletter, and the Elliott Report, a news site about customer service. If you need help with a consumer problem, you can reach him here or email him at chris@elliott.org.