European city destination leaders gathered in Barcelona in February for the 19th CityDNA CEO Meeting. Hosting the meeting in Barcelona was symbolic – few cities have more visibly navigated the political, social and structural pressures surrounding urban tourism. European destination CEOs addressed a central reality: the role of the Destination Management Organisation has fundamentally evolved.
Grounded in four pillars of best practice, Tourism for All equips destination leaders to align local businesses around shared values that support visitor readiness, long-term community well-being and the competitive advantage of welcome. Cohort 1: Mar 3-Aug 31 – registration now open. Cohort 2: Jun 5-Nov 30 – registration opens May 5.
Destinations International’s newly released The Impact of the Visitor Economy on Canadian Exports report brings the visitor economy and its impact into sharp focus at a time when Canada is engaged in a national conversation about competitiveness, productivity, trade diversification and evolving global market relationships. From Conference & Meetings World…
Soolnua co-founder Padraic Gilligan demonstrates how to effectively counter negative press stories by unapologetically hammering home economic multiplier facts and figures, and illuminating the bigger picture behind the cost and style of doing business in the business events or tourism sectors. From Padraicino…
The visitor economy plays a critical role in Canada’s broader economic and trade performance. The Impact of the Visitor Economy on Canadian Exports, commissioned by Destinations International’s Canadian Destination Leadership Council and conducted in partnership with EY-Parthenon, provides new evidence of how inbound travel contributes to export growth and drives Canada’s international competitiveness.
It’s been a year since Destination North East England launched the first-of-its-kind Regenerative Visitor Economy Framework, developed in partnership with the Global Destination Sustainability Movement. Check out progress and the toolkit used to achieve a wide range of positive outcomes, relating to both business events and general tourism. Stories from North East England: Travel that…
Better understand the business of travel through Skift’s wide range of daily and weekly newsletters. From daily travel news to a deep dive into the events industry, you can tailor your subscription to the information relevant to you. Weekly briefings cover topics such as how AI and tech are changing travel…
UN Tourism has presented Professor Larry Dwyer with the prestigious Ulysses Prize in recognition of his commitment to using knowledge to guide action and creating lasting, positive change. The prize was awarded during a special ceremony at the University of Technology Sydney, where he serves as Professor and Adjunct Fellow.
SHOP is ETOA and CityDNA’s new B2B event focused on driving demand beyond the high season. Designed for destinations and suppliers seeking to grow business outside traditional peak months, SHOP unites industry professionals committed to building a more balanced, sustainable tourism economy. As travel patterns evolve, extending the season and diversifying itineraries has never been…
The event is aimed at city, regional, national, and international tourism organisations, as well as universities and companies from the hospitality and tourism industry. It is directed toward managers, academics, as well as consultants and representatives of governments and international organisations dealing with tourism. Participants are invited to register for both days or can choose…
IPEC, for independent planners, offers a unique chance to explore new venues and destinations; engage in peer-to-peer learning in a collaborative, non-competitive environment; and gain education tailored to you as a business owner and entrepreneur. All qualified buyers will be fully hosted by Northstar Meetings Group for two productive days of prescheduled meetings with key…
Destination Mexico and Latin America — Northstar’s destination-specific hosted-buyer event — brings together the most highly qualified meeting and incentive buyers from North America with top destinations, hotels/resorts, cruise lines, DMCs, DMOs, technology and merchandise providers, and tourism offices from the region. Attendees participate in one-on-one pre-scheduled appointments, gain industry insights from our guest speakers…
The VISIT USA Act, introduced in Congress today, would restore critical funding to Brand USA—America’s destination marketing organization as the nation prepares to host a decade of global events including the 2026 FIFA World Cup, America 250 and the 2028 Summer Olympics, providing resources to promote the United States abroad, attract international visitors…
Destination Canada has completed its first Climate Action Plan — a major step in its sustainability journey and a signal of Canada’s leadership in regenerative tourism. Together with its long-term conference impact research, it highlights the importance of minimising negative environmental impacts while maximising the positive societal impacts generated by business and professional events.
Business Events advocacy veteran Rod Cameron eloquently sets out the arguments why our sector shouldn’t let the “overtourism crisis” go to waste. Business, professional and scientific events need to be clearly differentiated from leisure tourism, when communicating with the public as well as with policymakers, and now is the perfect time to do this: There…
The Visitor Experience Expert Meeting (formerly TIC Expert Meeting) offers a mix of incentive and exchange opportunities for all attendees. This event is for managers and TIC front office professionals coming from small and large cities and working for either public or private tourist information organisations – whether they are CityDNA members or not.
This interactive session is designed for CVB professionals to exchange ideas, share best practices, and engage in peer-led discussions on key industry topics. After the discussions, we’ll continue with a networking reception, providing the perfect opportunity to connect with industry peers before IBTM World begins.
From GatheringPoint.news, by David Adler: Thousands of event, hospitality, and tourism pros are heading to Las Vegas for IMEX, chasing the rush they create for others—the chemistry of awe, risk, and belonging that makes the world’s hardest job worth it. IMEX is not just another convention. It’s the annual gathering of an ecosystem…
The 2025 GDS-Index Report marks a decade of progress as destinations worldwide accelerate climate action and sustainability efforts, and reveals a 31% increase in average performance across all participating destinations since the programme began. This year’s theme, Shifting Tides, reflects a period of global transition during which destinations demonstrate remarkable resilience and accelerated action.
Business Events Sydney (BESydney) welcomes the NSW Government’s Visitor Economy Strategy 2035, which aims to generate A$91 billion in annual visitor spending and 150,000 new jobs by 2035. Developed with input from over 500 stakeholders, the strategy emphasises “Drive Growth Through Events.” BESydney has already secured 66 upcoming events, bringing 46,000 delegates, 174,000 delegate days,…
View this video interview of Guy Bigwood, CEO and Chief Changemaker with Global Destination Sustainability Movement, as part of the series “Travel Redefined: Tourism for People and Planet” by Content with Purpose and Global Sustainable Tourism Council, in which he urges destinations to start thinking and acting beyond sustainability and into regeneration.
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