The latest Sustainable Travel Index for 2023, released by Euromonitor International, highlights Sweden as the epitome of sustainable travel within Europe. Notably, a staggering 19 out of the top 20 positions on this index are firmly held by nations belonging to the European Union and the Schengen Area, as reported by SchengenVisaInfo.com, citing Euromonitor—an independent provider of strategic market research.

The dominance of Europe is unmistakable in the Sustainable Travel Index 2023, with the top 17 spots overwhelmingly occupied by European countries. Sweden proudly retains its lead, trailed closely by Finland in second place and Austria securing third. An unprecedented entrant, Uruguay from South America, claims a spot within the top 20, remarkably ascending 15 ranks from the previous year, as highlighted in the provider’s official press release.

As has been the tradition, European nations consistently dominate this index, surpassing destinations in the Americas, Asia, and Africa. The roster of the initial 20 most sustainable nations worldwide unfolds as follows:

Sweden
Finland
Austria
Estonia
Norway
Slovakia
Slovenia
Iceland
Latvia
Switzerland
France
Lithuania
Denmark
Czech Republic
Germany
Portugal
Croatia
Uruguay
Romania
Poland
Shifting focus to the most sustainable urban destinations, the lineup is spearheaded by Melbourne, Madrid, and Seville.

The country rankings stem from a diverse array of factors, encompassing environmental, social, and economic sustainability considerations. According to Caroline Bremner, Head of Travel at Euromonitor International, “Our Sustainable

Travel Index utilizes 56 indicators across seven pillars—Environmental, Social, Economic, Risk, Demand, Transport, and Lodgings—to gauge the relative performance of sustainable travel and tourism in 99 countries, assigning scores and weightings to derive an overall ranking.”

European nations have long been at the forefront of advocating and implementing sustainable tourism models, aiming to minimize the ecological footprint associated with tourism. For instance, Iceland has recently launched an initiative promoting extended trips and curbing mass tourism trends. Meanwhile, Belgium is contemplating proposing a European aviation tax on fuel or airline tickets to address the sector’s environmental impact.

The insights from Euromonitor International’s Index further unveil that nearly 80 percent of global travelers are willing to pay a premium of at least ten percent for sustainable travel attributes, despite the rising cost of living. Additionally, 41 percent of travelers are open to paying over 30 percent extra for adventure and eco-tourism experiences.