Listing Criteria
How we evaluate businesses for the GoGood guide, and help them enhance their impact.
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 and minority ownership and third-party certification status. Scores range from 0 to 100 and reflect self-assessed community, environmental, and economic impact.
It is important to note that GoGood is not a sustainability certification or verification program. Most of the small hospitality businesses and locally-rooted experiences we feature are not certified, and may never be due to the cost and time commitment.
GoGood is designed to meet these businesses where they are in their sustainability journeys and help them identify, learn, and commit to improving their sustainability and local impact. It is designed to be a low-barrier education tool and first step toward verified certifications.
Stewardship Score Scale
What the score means
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 ptsSustainability policies, goals, reporting, and how the business communicates its practices to guests.
Caring for People
12 ptsCommunity engagement, accessibility, human rights, local benefit, and relationships with neighbors and guests.
Good Employment
12 ptsFair wages, training, equal opportunity, worker well-being, and local hiring practices.
Energy & Climate
24 ptsEnergy efficiency, renewable energy use, emissions tracking, and climate action.
Reducing Waste
16 ptsWaste reduction, reuse, recycling, composting, and elimination of single-use items.
Caring for Water
8 ptsWater conservation, efficient fixtures, responsible sourcing, and wastewater management.
Reducing Pollution
8 ptsAir and water quality, chemical use, noise, and light pollution controls.
Food & Products
8 ptsLocal and seasonal sourcing, sustainable supply chains, and responsible procurement.
Caring for Nature
4 ptsBiodiversity protection, wildlife-friendly operations, and habitat stewardship.
Caring for Culture
4 ptsCultural 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.
Ownership
up to +9 ptsOwned and operated by residents of the destination community, keeping travel dollars local, with additional points for other ownership categories.
Third-Party Certification
up to +4 ptsVerified by a recognized sustainability certification body (e.g. GSTC and Travalyst-recognized schemes, B Corp, etc.).
Listing Requirements
How a business gets listed
Curation Review
Our researchers and local experts vet each business for authenticity, local ownership, and community impact before invitation.
Complete the Stewardship Scan
Businesses complete a detailed self-assessment covering the 10 dimensions above, typically taking 20–30 minutes.
Verification
Our team can help you complete the scan and assess your impact through an online interview.
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 that you can track and update.
Start the Stewardship Scan