Background: Tourism destinations face increasing pressure to implement sustainable practices while maintaining competitiveness in the global marketplace. Environmental management systems (EMS) provide frameworks for integrating sustainability into tourism operations, but their impact on destination competitiveness remains under-researched.

Objective: This study examines the relationship between EMS implementation and destination competitiveness, considering the mediating roles of environmental performance and destinatiwon image.

Method: This study uses a simulated dataset created for academic training purposes. Data from 280 tourism operators across 15 destinations were analyzed using structural equation modeling with partial least squares (PLS-SEM).

Key Results: EMS implementation significantly enhanced environmental performance (β = 0.52, p < 0.001) and destination image (β = 0.38, p < 0.001). Both environmental performance and destination image mediated the relationship between EMS and destination competitiveness, with environmental performance showing stronger mediation (42% of total effect).