Listing Criteria

How we evaluate sustainable tourism businesses

GoGood listings are curated by professional researchers and local experts, and evaluated with the Stewardship Scan — an assessment built on Green Destinations' Good Travel Scan (GTS) and extended with GoGood Bonus questions on local ownership and third-party certification. Scores range from 0 to 100 and reflect real community, environmental, and economic impact.

Stewardship Score Scale

What the score means

90–100
Exemplary
Industry leader in sustainable practices across all dimensions.
80–89
Excellent
Strong sustainability commitment with measurable impact.
70–79
Very Good
Solid sustainability practices with room to grow.
60–69
Good
Meeting baseline standards with active improvement plans.
50–59
Developing
Beginning the sustainability journey with committed action.
<50
Early Stage
Working toward sustainability with documented improvement plans.

The 10 Dimensions

How we measure stewardship

Every listed business is assessed across 10 dimensions drawn from the Green Destinations Good Travel Scan. Points are weighted by the depth and difficulty of each area, totaling 104 points on the base rubric.

Management & Information

8 pts

Sustainability policies, goals, reporting, and how the business communicates its practices to guests.

GoGood adds Bonus questions here: locally-owned businesses earn up to +9 bonus points, and third-party certified businesses earn up to +4 — no penalty for absence.

Caring for People

12 pts

Community engagement, human rights, local benefit, and relationships with neighbors and guests.

Good Employment

12 pts

Fair wages, training, equal opportunity, worker well-being, and local hiring practices.

Energy & Climate

24 pts

Energy efficiency, renewable energy use, emissions tracking, and climate action.

Reducing Waste

16 pts

Waste reduction, reuse, recycling, composting, and elimination of single-use items.

Caring for Water

8 pts

Water conservation, efficient fixtures, responsible sourcing, and wastewater management.

Reducing Pollution

8 pts

Air and water quality, chemical use, noise, and light pollution controls.

Food & Products

8 pts

Local and seasonal sourcing, sustainable supply chains, and responsible procurement.

Caring for Nature

4 pts

Biodiversity protection, wildlife-friendly operations, and habitat stewardship.

Caring for Culture

4 pts

Cultural heritage protection, authentic storytelling, and respectful representation.

GoGood Bonus Points

On top of the 104-point Good Travel Scan, GoGood recognizes two additional indicators of sustainable tourism that travelers care about. These are bonus points only — there is no penalty for businesses that don't qualify.

Local Ownership

up to +9 pts

Majority-owned and operated by residents of the destination community, keeping travel dollars local.

Third-Party Certification

up to +4 pts

Verified by a recognized sustainability certification body (e.g. GSTC-recognized schemes, B Corp, LEED).

Listing Requirements

How a business gets listed

1

Curation Review

Our researchers and local experts vet each business for authenticity, local ownership, and community impact before invitation.

2

Complete the Stewardship Scan

Businesses complete a detailed self-assessment covering the 10 dimensions above, typically taking 20–30 minutes.

3

Verification

Our team reviews responses, requests supporting documentation where needed, and confirms the score.

4

Improvement Plan

Listed businesses commit to an achievable improvement plan and track progress over time.

Are You a Tourism Business?

Take the free Stewardship Scan to see where you stand and get a tailored improvement plan.

Start the Stewardship Scan

Have questions about our methodology or criteria?

Read the FAQ