Professionals : The sustainable approach of the Marseille Tourist and Convention Bureau

On the way to sustainable tourism!

The Marseille Convention and Visitors Bureau has been committed to a proactive strategy since January 2020. One of its priorities is to constantly improve the quality of the welcome given to leisure and business tourists. At a time when visitors to our region are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of sustainable criteria in their choices, Marseille aims to become a leading destination for responsible tourism by relying on three strategic levers.

Our commitment

The Marseille Convention and Visitors Bureau has been ISO 20121 certified since October 2021.

Logo Bureau Veritas

This certification is an opportunity to rethink the fundamentals of its BtoB activities as well as its internal operations with the aim of setting an example and limiting its carbon footprint. This standard is conceived as an evolutionary approach to progress, which makes it possible to project a multi-year action plan.

The mobilisation of all tourism professionals

The strategy of the OTCM’s sustainable development department is to mobilise all of the region’s tourism players by creating support programmes. In 2020, the Green Key programme (created in partnership with the city of Marseille) was a great success with Marseille’s accommodation providers. This year, support is continuing with the programme to raise awareness among all tourism stakeholders, with the publication of 7 good practice guides “En route to sustainable tourism” representing all socio-professional categories. Other dedicated programmes and information sources are to come in 2022.

Showcasing our sustainable destination

Labels and certification

GDS-Index Program

Gds Index Logo The Global Destination Sustainability (GDS-Index) is an international programme for benchmarking and improving the performance of sustainable destinations, which provides a score expressed in %.This approach contributes globally to the quality of life in the territories and naturally enriches the quality of welcome and discovery for visitors.Launched in 2016, the GDS Index now lists over 80 cities worldwide.

The OMTCM entered the GDS-Index in 2021 and obtained a score of 51%, an honourable score for a first participation in a disrupted tourism context.

Innovative and Sustainable Destination: DID Label

On 6 April 2022, the Tourist and Convention Bureau was awarded the Sustainable Innovative Destination label, in collaboration with Marseille Chanot.

Launched as part of the hosting of the 2024 Olympic Games, the Sustainable Innovative Destination label will show that Marseille is capable of welcoming tourists in good conditions while limiting the negative impacts linked to tourism activities. For Marseille and its entire industry, this label is both a tremendous opportunity and a catalyst for change. It is also a decisive argument in the choice of Marseille as a destination by our customers.

The interest and solidity of the approach rests on 5 major points: the local political will, the field of action covered by the standard, coordination with other local stakeholders, the principle of auditing by a certifying body, and the evolving nature of the standard over time.

Composed of 8 challenges and 26 actions, this new standard is aimed at cities and towns that, at the scale of their territory, want to structure their action in favour of sustainable tourism and amplify the effects of their good practices by associating, by means of an agreement, the actors in the reception and service chain (venues, events, hotels, etc.).).

The “sustainable tourism” offer

The OTCM is committed to promoting all responsible and sustainable tourism offers for both the leisure and business markets.
Getting around, choosing accommodation, eating out, organizing leisure activities, taking part in eco-citizen action or organizing an event in a sustainable way will be accessible via a dedicated entry on the general public website and a specific section on the Convention Bureau website.