The implementation of Directive (EU) 2024/825, scheduled to take effect on September 27, 2026, marks the beginning of a new era for sustainability communication in Europe. Now that the changes introduced by the new European framework are becoming clear, the time has come to take action. How can a tourism destination review its messaging, organize its supporting evidence, and strengthen the trust of residents, visitors, and businesses?
This practical guide provides a step-by-step framework to help tourism destinations build environmental communications that are more transparent, consistent, and aligned with responsible destination management. It offers a practical methodology for reviewing messages, organizing supporting evidence, and strengthening trust.
In previous articles, we have explored why sustainability communication is entering a new era, particularly in Europe, and how Directive (EU) 2024/825 will promote greater transparency in the environmental claims made by businesses and tourism destinations.
Now, the next step is clear. Beyond understanding this new landscape, tourism destinations need to know how to prepare. The good news is that adapting does not mean starting from scratch.
Most destinations that have been working on sustainability for years already have policies, projects, programs, and initiatives in place that provide a solid foundation for building more rigorous sustainability communications.
The challenge is not so much about doing more, but about organizing these efforts more effectively, documenting them properly, and communicating them with greater precision.
In other words, the challenge is to transform a collection of initiatives into a coherent narrative—one that is supported by verifiable evidence and capable of building trust.
There is one important principle to keep in mind from the very beginning. Environmental communication does not begin when a press release is written, a campaign is launched, or a destination's website is updated. It begins much earlier.
It starts with the way a destination plans its public policies, coordinates its stakeholders, measures its results, and documents the progress it has made.
When this groundwork is in place, communicating sustainability becomes much easier. When it is not, communication risks relying solely on broad statements that are difficult to substantiate.
For this reason, before reviewing any message, it is important to assess how sustainability is actually managed throughout the destination.
Every destination has its own unique context. For that reason, there are no universal solutions or one-size-fits-all approaches that can be applied in the same way everywhere.
However, it is possible to identify a series of common steps that help structure the process, establish priorities, and support adaptation to the new European framework.
Rather than a checklist of obligations, this action plan should be viewed as a tool for continuous improvement. Its purpose is not only to reduce the risk of greenwashing, but also to strengthen the quality of destination management, improve coordination among the destination's various stakeholders, and build institutional communications that foster long-term trust.
With this foundation in place, the process can be organized into a series of practical steps that help move from initial reflection to a structured, practical, and verifiable review of the destination's communications.
One of the most common mistakes is to assign responsibility for reviewing environmental communications exclusively to the tourism department or the communications team. In reality, sustainability is embedded across every aspect of destination management.
For this reason, the first step should be to establish a cross-functional working group that includes, whenever possible, representatives from all the key areas involved.
For example:
This approach fosters a shared understanding of the destination and helps ensure that its communications accurately reflect the reality of the place.
Internal coordination is the first step toward good governance. When each department works independently, inconsistent messages, duplication of efforts, and claims that are difficult to substantiate often emerge.
By contrast, when there is an ongoing coordination process, information flows more effectively, and decisions are made based on a shared understanding.
This way of working not only strengthens communications—it also enhances strategic planning and supports a more integrated approach to destination management.
Before revising any content, it is important to understand exactly what the destination is currently communicating.
To do this, it is recommended to create a comprehensive inventory that captures all environmental claims and sustainability-related references across the destination's various communication channels.
This inventory should include, among others:
The goal is not simply to identify expressions such as "sustainable destination" or "responsible tourism."
It is also important to identify messages related to biodiversity, cultural heritage, mobility, the circular economy, accessibility, governance, or any other aspect associated with the destination's sustainability.
This inventory will serve as the foundation for the entire review process.
Once all sustainability-related messages have been identified, the next step is to evaluate them from a different perspective.
The question should no longer be simply whether the message is compelling from a promotional standpoint. The more important question is this: Would any visitor clearly understand what that claim actually means?
This reflection is particularly important because many of the expressions commonly used by tourism destinations are broad in meaning and can be interpreted in very different ways.
Terms such as:
remain entirely appropriate.
However, it is becoming increasingly important to accompany these terms with information that explains the specific actions supporting those claims.
Visitors do not simply want to know that a destination is committed to sustainability. They want to understand how that commitment is put into practice.
There is a useful exercise for evaluating any sustainability-related content. It involves asking a single question: If the headline were removed, would the rest of the content still explain why the destination is making that claim?
If the answer is no, the message would likely benefit from additional information.
By contrast, when a message clearly explains the actions that have been taken, the objectives being pursued, and the results that have been achieved, the communication becomes more transparent and credible.
Once the environmental claims have been reviewed, the next step is to identify the information that supports them. This stage is one of the cornerstones of responsible sustainability communication.
Every message should be supported by real actions that can be clearly explained. This supporting evidence can take many different forms, for example:
Not every communication needs to include the same level of detail. However, every destination should be able to answer one fundamental question clearly: What specific actions support this message?
Supporting a claim is often assumed to require publishing large amounts of statistical data. That is not always the case. Transparency can also be achieved by explaining the processes behind the results, for example:
Providing this information helps visitors understand that every commitment is backed by genuine planning and meaningful action.
One of the most common risks arises when sustainability is communicated differently across various channels. For example:
Even if all of these statements are accurate, a lack of consistency can make it more difficult for audiences to understand the destination's positioning.
For this reason, it is advisable to review all communication channels together—not with the goal of making them identical, but to ensure they convey a consistent vision.
Consistency should also extend across the destination as a whole. When tourism businesses, visitor information centers, public authorities, and local organizations communicate aligned messages, visitors gain a much stronger and more coherent understanding of the destination.
This coordinated approach helps reinforce the destination's identity and ensures that sustainability is perceived not as a one-time marketing campaign, but as a defining characteristic of the destination itself.
Not all content carries the same level of risk. For this reason, it is advisable to establish priorities by classifying messages using a simple framework that takes into account factors such as their level of visibility and the amount of supporting documentation available.
This classification helps organize the review process and focus efforts on the content that is likely to have the greatest impact on the destination's credibility.
Example of a Prioritization Matrix
|
Message |
Level of Visibility |
Supporting Evidence Available |
Priority |
|
Sustainable destination |
Very high |
Partial |
High |
|
Responsible tourism |
High |
Sufficient |
Medium |
|
Destination committed to the SDGs |
Medium |
Extensive |
Low |
|
Green destination |
Very high |
Limited |
Very high |
|
Sustainable mobility |
Medium |
Extensive |
Low |
This type of tool helps destinations plan the review process in a structured way and ensures that resources are focused on the areas that truly require priority attention.
One of the most common mistakes is revising messages before conducting a proper assessment.
Rigorous communication always begins with understanding the current situation. In other words, analyze, evaluate, prioritize—and only then communicate.
This approach not only improves the quality of communications, but also strengthens destination governance and supports decision-making based on objective information.
Once the destination's messages have been reviewed and the supporting evidence has been compiled, the next step is to ensure that this effort does not remain a one-time exercise.
Sustainability communications should not be reviewed only when regulations change or before launching a new promotional campaign. Instead, they should be integrated into the destination's regular management processes.
The best way to achieve this is by establishing an internal protocol for periodically reviewing any sustainability-related content before it is published.
This process does not need to be complex. What matters most is having a shared methodology that is understood and followed by everyone involved in the destination's institutional communications.
Before publishing any sustainability-related message, the responsible team could verify basic questions such as:
Being able to answer yes to these questions helps build more rigorous communications and significantly reduces the risk of using messages that are ambiguous or difficult to interpret.
Rather than a control mechanism, this protocol should be viewed as a tool for continuous improvement.
A destination's reputation does not depend solely on what public authorities communicate.
Every hotel, restaurant, tour operator, retailer, tour guide, visitor information center, and cultural organization also helps shape visitors' perceptions of the destination. For this reason, a responsible communication strategy is much stronger when it engages the entire tourism ecosystem.
This does not mean making every message identical. It means sharing common principles of transparency, rigor, and consistency. When businesses understand the destination's sustainability strategy and actively participate in it, the destination's overall narrative becomes more credible and consistent.
Collaboration Strengthens the Destination's Identity
One of the greatest strengths of sustainable destinations lies in their ability to foster a shared vision.
When public authorities, businesses, and local communities work toward common goals, sustainability is no longer perceived as a government initiative—it becomes part of the destination's management culture.
This collaboration allows the good practices implemented by businesses to complement public policies and helps project a more authentic image of the destination.
In this sense, responsible communication is not only about explaining what public authorities are doing. It also means highlighting the commitment of the businesses and organizations that are part of the destination and contribute to its development.
One of the most significant changes introduced by the new European framework is the need to view communication as an ongoing process.
Destinations are constantly evolving. New projects are launched, new businesses join the tourism ecosystem, performance indicators change, and new strategies are adopted. As a result, the information shared with the public must evolve as well.
Sustainability cannot be communicated through static content that remains unchanged for years. Regularly updating information is, in itself, a demonstration of transparency.
Just as a destination monitors environmental, social, and economic indicators, it is also advisable to evaluate the effectiveness of its communications.
The following questions can serve as a useful starting point:
Answering these questions helps identify opportunities for improvement and enables destinations to adapt their communications to the real needs of their different audiences.
Throughout this continuous improvement process, having a recognized methodology can make it significantly easier for destinations to strengthen their sustainability communications.
This is precisely the role of the Biosphere methodology, which serves as a framework for credibility by providing a structured approach to destination management, linking sustainability commitments to verifiable evidence, and transforming real progress into communications that are clearer, more consistent, and more trustworthy.
From this perspective, Biosphere Certified Destination should not be viewed merely as a sustainability designation.
Its true value lies in providing a management system that helps destinations plan initiatives, organize their commitments, document supporting evidence, and continuously monitor their progress.
The methodology developed by the Responsible Tourism Institute (RTI) enables destinations to integrate sustainability into their strategic planning through concrete actions, initiatives, evaluation processes, and continuous improvement, all aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria.
This approach enables communications to be grounded in verifiable information rather than relying solely on institutional statements.
Within the new European framework, the true value of certification goes far beyond the visible recognition it provides.
Its greatest contribution is the methodology it offers—one that enables destinations to demonstrate how they plan, implement, and evaluate their sustainability strategy.
When this methodology becomes part of day-to-day destination management, sustainability communications become stronger and more credible.
Supporting evidence is no longer gathered solely to meet audit requirements. Instead, it becomes an integral part of an ongoing system of planning and continuous improvement.
This way of working not only strengthens transparency, but also improves coordination among public authorities, businesses, and other destination stakeholders, fostering a more participatory, results-oriented model of governance.
Every destination starts from a different point. Some have well-established sustainability strategies and robust monitoring systems, while others are still in the early stages of development. For that reason, there is no single approach to adaptation.
However, it is possible to establish a common roadmap that helps guide the process and enables destinations to move forward in a structured way.
Over the coming months, tourism destinations can organize their efforts by following a logical sequence of actions that may include the following phases.
The first step is to gain a clear understanding of what the destination is currently communicating about sustainability.
This assessment should cover all communication channels and identify both the destination's strengths and the messages that require a more thorough review.
Once the environmental claims have been identified, the next step is to gather and organize the information that supports them.
This work will provide a solid documentary foundation for strengthening transparency and facilitating future updates.
The next step is to ensure that all communication channels convey a consistent vision of the destination.
In this context, sustainability should be perceived as a shared strategy rather than a collection of independent messages developed by different departments or organizations.
Responsible communication cannot depend solely on the tourism authority.
Businesses, business associations, cultural organizations, visitor information centers, and other local stakeholders all play a vital role in shaping the destination's image.
Encouraging coordination among all of these stakeholders helps create a more consistent narrative and strengthens the destination's identity.
Sustainability is constantly evolving. As a result, communications must evolve as well.
Regularly updating content, reviewing supporting evidence, and evaluating results helps ensure that communications remain aligned with the reality of the destination while strengthening the trust of both residents and visitors.
Although the current discussion may be focused primarily on regulatory changes, the true significance of this transformation extends far beyond compliance.
Reviewing sustainability communications can become an excellent opportunity to strengthen governance within the tourism sector.
The process of gathering information, coordinating across departments, engaging businesses, and jointly reviewing communications fosters greater collaboration among the destination's various stakeholders.
At the same time, it promotes a culture of planning, evaluation, and continuous improvement that extends beyond communications and becomes part of the destination's day-to-day management.
From this perspective, preparing to adapt to the new European framework is not simply about revising content. It is about strengthening the way the destination plans, coordinates, and communicates its sustainability strategy.
Although this article uses the implementation of Directive (EU) 2024/825 as its point of reference, it is important to recognize that the changes it introduces extend well beyond the European Union.
The growing demand for transparency, the need to support environmental claims with verifiable evidence, and the importance of building trust with consumers, visitors, and other stakeholders reflect a global trend that is reshaping the way sustainability is communicated.
Increasingly, public authorities, destination marketing organizations, and tourism destinations around the world are incorporating higher standards of rigor, traceability, and accountability into their communication strategies. At the same time, travelers are becoming more interested in understanding how the destinations they visit are managed and what impact sustainability policies have on cultural and natural heritage, local communities, and the environment.
In this context, preparing a destination's sustainability communications should no longer be viewed simply as a response to regulatory change. It represents an opportunity to strengthen the destination's reputation, build trust among residents and visitors, improve governance, and enhance competitiveness in a tourism market that is becoming increasingly demanding and sustainability focused.
For this reason, the recommendations presented in this guide are equally valuable for any destination seeking to advance toward a more transparent management model, regardless of the country or region in which it is located.
Transparency should not be viewed merely as a regulatory requirement, but as a fundamental principle of good governance.
Throughout this ongoing evolution, Biosphere supports tourism destinations across different regions of the world through a methodology that views sustainability as a continuous process of planning, monitoring, and improvement.
Through the framework developed by the Responsible Tourism Institute (RTI), destinations can integrate sustainability into their day-to-day management, organize their commitments, document supporting evidence, and objectively evaluate the progress they have made.
The Biosphere Certified Destination methodology helps align a destination's strategy with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and ESG principles, incorporating verifiable indicators and continuous improvement processes that strengthen both destination management and sustainability communications.
Beyond the recognition it provides, its true value lies in offering destinations a practical framework for demonstrating their work with transparency and building stronger relationships of trust with residents, businesses, and visitors.
As a complement to this guide, Biosphere will host a practical webinar during the second half of September 2026 to help tourism destinations prepare their sustainability communications ahead of the implementation of Directive (EU) 2024/825.
The session will take a highly practical approach, covering how to review environmental claims across different communication channels, organize the evidence supporting the destination's sustainability commitments, improve coordination between public authorities and businesses, and strengthen institutional communications based on transparency, traceability, and continuous improvement.
The webinar will also present methodological recommendations, examples of best practices, and practical guidance for implementing internal processes that enable destinations to communicate sustainability with greater clarity, consistency, and credibility.
The webinar date and registration details will be announced soon through Biosphere's official communication channels.
Over the coming years, sustainability will continue to play a central role in tourism development strategies. However, the way it is communicated will continue to evolve.
The destinations that stand out will not necessarily be those that use the greatest number of sustainability-related messages. They will be those that can clearly and consistently demonstrate how they manage their resources, protect their natural and cultural heritage, engage local communities, and evaluate the outcomes of their initiatives.
In this new landscape, communication will no longer serve solely as a promotional tool. It will become a strategic driver of competitiveness, transparency, and trust.
While Directive (EU) 2024/825 marks an important turning point in the way sustainability is communicated within the European Union, its greatest contribution for tourism destinations extends well beyond regulatory compliance. It encourages destinations to adopt communications that are more rigorous, more transparent, and grounded in verifiable evidence.
Communications that faithfully reflect the reality of the destination—and that help strengthen its reputation, governance, and the trust of residents, visitors, and businesses.
Ultimately, the challenge in the years ahead will not simply be to demonstrate that a destination is committed to sustainability. It will be to clearly explain how sustainability is integrated into day-to-day destination management, how it generates tangible benefits for the region, and how it contributes to building a tourism model that is more responsible, more resilient, and better prepared to meet the challenges of the future.