City Destinations Alliance
The alliance of Tourist Boards, Convention Bureaux and Destination Management Organisations in Europe
We are the European knowledge sharing alliance for cities and urban regions. While working on the DNA of our cities, we are committed to a sustainable, inclusive and responsible visitor economy that benefits people, planet and prosperity.
We are much more than a network. We want to publicly advocate for our common goals while still learning from each other.
Our vision is for all cities in Europe to flourish as great places to live, work, meet and explore. As a community of DMO professionals, our promise to each other is to always be curious and forward-thinking, share our inspiration and never stop learning.
Highlights
The reference for Leisure, Meetings Industry and City Marketing in Europe.
Global Accessibility Report
Accessibility is the tool, Inclusion is the Objective
The Global Accessibility Report, a collaborative effort by City Destinations Alliance and Destinations International, offers a comprehensive look at accessibility initiatives in global tourism. Released in October 2024, this report analyses data from 92 destinations worldwide, primarily in Europe and North America.
The Meetings Industry Manifesto
Priorities for the Next EU Leadership
“The Meetings Industry Manifesto: Priorities for the Next EU Leadership” is a comprehensive document that emerged from our discussions and collaborative efforts at the EU Dialogue in Brussels. This manifesto aims to enhance awareness and recognition of the Meetings Industry’s significant role in driving economic growth, fostering innovation, and promoting sustainability across Europe.
Redefining Success
How DMOs can Drive Social & Community Well-Being
CityDNA and TOPOSOPHY released a report on ‘Redefining Success: How DMOs can Drive Social & Community Well-Being’. Building upon the success of previous joint collaborations, this paper takes a deeper dive into meaningful KPI design with practical applications and real world case study examples to support and empower DMOs to broaden their positive influence, measure their social impact and communicate their value contribution for the neighbourhoods, cities and regions they serve.
Featured Events
#CityDNA events provide members with information, contacts and business leads they cannot afford to miss out on.
Members know best…
The CityDNA Knowledge Groups play a strategic role in helping us develop new ideas, products, insights and solutions in the areas of City Cards, Marketing & Communication, Meetings Industry, Research & Insights, Sustainability, Tourist Information Centres or Trends. They are incubators of new ideas and an important source of insights and expertise.
When it comes to looking at the future, the constantly evolving CityDNA Summer School is a unique opportunity for young professionals just entering the Meetings Industry to spend three days with some of the biggest names in our business, to understand the nature of the Meetings Industry, and acquire practical marketing skills. An unforgettable career-defining experience!
By providing data, we can benchmark the performances of our destinations with bednights and in meetings statistics, as well as the financing and spending structures of our organisations. For the 50% of our members who do not have their own research departments, City Destinations Alliance can provide a unique & essential source of information.
City Destinations Alliance knows that we, as members, have specific interests and provides us with the opportunity to have our own platforms, events and forums. CityDNA also helps us members to align our own strategic agenda with whatever demands, challenges and opportunities tomorrow will bring.
Every year, we have more and more City Cards specialists participating in the City Cards Expert Meeting and strengthening the network. Through best practices and knowledge exchange, these meetings allow CityDNA member destinations to fine-tune their City Cards product, the associated communication and sales strategy, with the goal of managing the destination in a sustainable way.
City Destinations Alliance is a member organisation. It is with us members and by the members. Through its strategy, CityDNA explores a more sustainable tomorrow together with a great purpose and appetite for experimenting in the visitor economy that contributes to a better life in the city. This knowledge is essential in my daily job!
Knowledge exchange and best practices’ sessions are core activities in City Destinations Alliance: from meetings statistics to legacy or ambassador programmes, we are always kept up to date by the best examples in Europe and from around the world.
City Destinations Alliance is the only organisation to gather all CEOs of European destinations to discuss the latest market trends and new developments in policy, strategy and operations. But more important: it gives me a network of persons with whom I share challenges and endeavours, be it sustainability challenges, citizens support or how to measure the broader pros and cons of tourism. In short: This meeting is on the very top of my list.
CityDNA Live
![[PRESS RELEASE 📣] /// “Let Pigs Fly”: CityDNA Autumn Conference 2024 in Bruges Sparks Innovation and Drives Sustainable & Radical Collaboration in Urban Tourism ///
The GDS-Forum & CityDNA Autumn Conference 2024, held from October 15-18 in the historic city of Bruges, brought together over 270 industry experts, decision-makers, and innovators from 125 destinations and companies. Of these, 220 attendees from 110 organisations participated in the CityDNA event. Under the inspiring theme “Let Pigs Fly: Defying the Gravity of Impossible in Urban Tourism,” the conference focused on addressing the tourism sector’s toughest challenges through creativity, bold thinking, and collaboration...
Read the press release: https://buff.ly/3YG2qZm
#CityDNA #LetPigsFly Visit Bruges Visit Bruges Convention Bureau](https://citydestinationsalliance.eu/wp-content/plugins/social-wall/img/placeholder.png)
[PRESS RELEASE 📣] /// “Let Pigs Fly”: CityDNA Autumn Conference 2024 in Bruges Sparks Innovation and Drives Sustainable & Radical Collaboration in Urban Tourism ///
The GDS-Forum & CityDNA Autumn Conference 2024, held from October 15-18 in the historic city of Bruges, ...brought together over 270 industry experts, decision-makers, and innovators from 125 destinations and companies. Of these, 220 attendees from 110 organisations participated in the CityDNA event. Under the inspiring theme “Let Pigs Fly: Defying the Gravity of Impossible in Urban Tourism,” the conference focused on addressing the tourism sector’s toughest challenges through creativity, bold thinking, and collaboration...
Read the press release: https://buff.ly/3YG2qZm
#CityDNA #LetPigsFly Visit Bruges Visit Bruges Convention Bureau
[CITYDNA CVB CAFE ☕] 🌟 Join us at the CVB Café during IBTM Barcelona 2024! 🌟
Calling all CVB professionals! Don’t miss out on our exclusive networking session on Monday, November 18 at 18:30 at the Hotel Porta Fira, right across from the fairground.
This informal event ...will dive into key topics such as:
💡 AI & Innovation
🌍 Sustainability
💼 Staffing & Funding Challenges
🤝 Risk-Sharing & Legacy
You'll have the opportunity to contribute by bringing your own discussion topic!
The session is peer-led, creating insightful conversations among like-minded professionals.
📅 Registration is mandatory by November 11
💶 Cost: 49€ per person
👉 Register here: https://buff.ly/4f231tX
And if you're attending IBTM Barcelona, we’d love to meet!
Connect with Flavie for partnership opportunities or Julie for CityDNA events and programmes.
👉 Book a meeting with Flavie: https://buff.ly/3UqmiNy
👉 Book a meeting with Julie at julie@citydna.eu
Looking forward to seeing you there!
#CityDNA #CityDNACVBCafé #IBTM2024 #Networking #MeetingsIndustry #EventProfs
[LET PIGS FLY 🐷🪽] 🌟 A Heartfelt Thank You to Visit Bruges 🌟
Last week at that time, we were enjoying the last session of our #CityDNA Autumn Conference in the beautiful city of Bruges.
We want to extend our deepest gratitude to Visit Bruges and their exceptional team ...for their professionalism and generosity. Your warm hospitality, seamless coordination, and attention to detail made the event truly memorable.
You’ve been a fantastic host, and we couldn’t have asked for a more inspiring city to let our pigs fly! 🙌✨
#LetPigsFly Visit Bruges Convention Bureau
[WE ARE HIRING! 🟠] 📢 We are hiring a Membership Coordinator! 📢
Don't miss your chance to join City Destinations Alliance as our new Membership Coordinator at our Head Office in Dijon, France! 🇫🇷
The new deadline to apply is November 25, 2024, so if you're ...passionate about membership growth, partnerships, and making a lasting impact, now is the time to submit your application!
🔍 Key Responsibilities include:
- Developing and implementing membership strategies.
- Building strong relationships with members.
- Ensuring active member engagement in CityDNA events.
- Maintaining accurate membership records.
- Supporting budget planning and partner strategy.
📅 Start Date: mid – December 2024 or January 2025.
📅 Interviews: Rolling basis in November-December
👉 Apply now: https://buff.ly/4dczugt
Help us shape cities into vibrant places to live, work, meet, and explore! 🌍
#JobOpportunity #FinalCall #MembershipCoordinator #CityDestinationsAlliance #CityDNA #JoinOurTeam #Dijon #France #TourismJobs #CareerOpportunity #ApplyNow
[LET PIGS FLY 🐷🪽] A huge thank you to all our incredible partners who made last week’s CityDNA #LetPigsFly Autumn Conference in Visit Bruges such a success! 🙌
The unwavering support and collaboration from our partners is key to bringing our ideas and initiatives to life, driving ...inspiring conversations, and creating unforgettable experiences.
Together, we explored new horizons and tackled industry challenges with innovation and resilience. 💡✨
Here’s to continued partnerships and even greater successes in the future! 🚀
#CityDNA #PartnershipsMatter
Mash Media / HQ Mags / Snapsight / Teejit / Destinatie Nederland / Arcus Technologies Ltd / Centre of Expertise Leisure, Tourism and Hospitality / ForwardKeys / Lighthouse / Mabrian Technologies Official / Modul University Vienna / MMGY TCI Research / Saint Elmo's / TOPOSOPHY / IMEX / Simpleview / The Data Appeal Company / Miles Partnership / giantwheel.eu
[LET PIGS FLY 🐷🪽] The final session of the #CityDNA #LetPigsFly Conference brought together inspiring perspectives on radical collaboration in urban tourism.
Leslie Bruce (Banff & Lake Louise Tourism) highlighted the hardships and successes in collaboration, followed by Anthony ...Everett (4VI) who shared how rethinking the DMO's role can lead to disruptive innovation. Claire Mertens (Visit Antwerp) presented the unique collaboration among the 5 Flemish art cities (Antwerp, Bruges, Ghent, Leuven and Mechelen). The session wrapped up with an engaging panel featuring Erwin Van de Wiele from Ghent, Anthony, and Leslie, sparking dialogue on the future of collaborative approaches in destination management.
#LetPigsFly #TourismCollaboration #RadicalInnovation
Group NAO Visit Bruges
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[LET PIGS FLY 🐷🪽] At the #CityDNA #LetPigsFly Conference in Bruges, Dr. Bozana Zekan from Modul University Vienna presented insights from the latest #CityTravelReportbyCityDNA. 🚀
How high is your city flying? Don't miss your chance to contribute and see where your destination ...stands! Data submissions are open until April 30.
Get ready to soar in the evolving tourism landscape! 🌍
#TourismInsights #Benchmarking #DestinationData
Group NAO Visit Bruges
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[LET PIGS FLY 🐷🪽] During the #CityDNA #LetPigsFly Conference attendees were given the opportunity to dive into the future of AI at the Guinea Pigsters Labs!
From hands-on AI tools for event planning, image generation, and virtual mirrors to creative Prompt Battles, this was a chance ...to test, learn, and unleash creativity. Whether crafting flying pigs or exploring AI for business events, these labs offered participants unique opportunities to future-proof their strategies.
A big shoutout to Junanto Xu from GROUP NAO, Jonathan Maes, William Schokkelé, Cesar De Greve and Randy Lamiere from Howest University of Applied Sciences, and Jonathan Easton from GEVME for bringing the future to life! 💡✨
#LetPigsFly #AIFuture #AIforEvents
Group NAO Visit Bruges