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.
Refreshed City Perspectives
Reshaping, Rebalancing, Reigniting
the Visitor Economy
CityDNA Autumn Conference, Sep 30-Oct 2, 2025
In a world saturated with sameness, Tórshavn invites us to the edge — geographically, mentally and structurally — to radically rethink how we design and deliver the visitor economy.
Rather than defaulting to overused frameworks of sustainability and regeneration, this conference proposes a sharper, more actionable lens: reshaping, rebalancing and reigniting what tourism means for cities of all sizes.
Leading Through Transformation: Addressing Core Challenges for DMOs
CityDNA CEO Meeting Takeaways
The 2025 CityDNA CEO Meeting in Monaco brought together over 50 DMO leaders from across Europe to discuss the future of tourism and its evolving role in city development. The discussions underscored a shared commitment: DMOs must go beyond promotion and actively shape more resilient, sustainable, and digitally advanced destinations.
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
![[CITYDNA REPORTS 📊] CityDNA-Lighthouse Short-Term Rentals Report
Now available for CityDNA members on our Intranet: the Q1 2025 Edition of our exclusive CityDNA-Lighthouse Short-Term Rentals Report, developed in partnership with Lighthouse Intelligence. This quarterly analysis continues to empower DMOs with strategic insights into supply, demand, and pricing trends across Europe’s short-term rental landscape.
🔍 Key Highlights from Q1 2025:
📈 Stability After Surge:
Europe’s short-term rental market reached nearly 4.4 million units as of February 2025 – a 5.9% YOY increase (+243,000 units). However, growth plateaued since November 2024, with a marginal +0.06% change (+3,000 units), suggesting market stabilisation post-Olympics and peak travel seasons.
🇫🇷 France Crosses 1 Million Milestone:
With 1.02 million listings, France now represents 23.3% of Europe’s total supply – growing 6.5% YOY and remaining the continent’s most dominant short-term rental market.
📊 Growth Leaders & Decliners:
- Norway: +28% YOY growth (64,000 units)
- Poland: +20% YOY growth (+28,000 units)
- Germany: Among top 3 in absolute unit growth
- Turkey: -24.5% YOY decline, driven by new regulations
- Italy: -0.9% YOY, its first YOY decline amid new rules on self check-ins
💶 ADR Trends:
Europe’s average monthly median ADR rose to €113, marking an 8.3% YOY increase. Turkey saw the sharpest ADR jump (+39% YOY to €91), likely a result of reduced supply in a regulated environment.
📊 Interactive Dashboard Access:
CityDNA members can explore this data by country and city through our exclusive dashboard—essential for shaping local policy and industry strategies.
🙏 A special thank you to Lighthouse Intelligence, our Knowledge Partner, for their continued expertise.
💡 The next edition will be released in August 2025, covering Q2 2025 trends, including post-Easter travel impacts and early summer demand dynamics.
Explore more insights in our research section: https://buff.ly/3DZKKjw
#CityDNA #CityDNALighthouseShortTermRentals #CityDNAResearchAndInsights #ShortTermRentals #DataDrivenInsights #DMOs #TourismIntelligence #Research](https://citydestinationsalliance.eu/wp-content/plugins/social-wall/img/placeholder.png)
[CITYDNA REPORTS 📊] CityDNA-Lighthouse Short-Term Rentals Report
Now available for CityDNA members on our Intranet: the Q1 2025 Edition of our exclusive CityDNA-Lighthouse Short-Term Rentals Report, developed in partnership with Lighthouse Intelligence. This quarterly analysis continues... to empower DMOs with strategic insights into supply, demand, and pricing trends across Europe’s short-term rental landscape.
🔍 Key Highlights from Q1 2025:
📈 Stability After Surge:
Europe’s short-term rental market reached nearly 4.4 million units as of February 2025 – a 5.9% YOY increase (+243,000 units). However, growth plateaued since November 2024, with a marginal +0.06% change (+3,000 units), suggesting market stabilisation post-Olympics and peak travel seasons.
🇫🇷 France Crosses 1 Million Milestone:
With 1.02 million listings, France now represents 23.3% of Europe’s total supply – growing 6.5% YOY and remaining the continent’s most dominant short-term rental market.
📊 Growth Leaders & Decliners:
- Norway: +28% YOY growth (64,000 units)
- Poland: +20% YOY growth (+28,000 units)
- Germany: Among top 3 in absolute unit growth
- Turkey: -24.5% YOY decline, driven by new regulations
- Italy: -0.9% YOY, its first YOY decline amid new rules on self check-ins
💶 ADR Trends:
Europe’s average monthly median ADR rose to €113, marking an 8.3% YOY increase. Turkey saw the sharpest ADR jump (+39% YOY to €91), likely a result of reduced supply in a regulated environment.
📊 Interactive Dashboard Access:
CityDNA members can explore this data by country and city through our exclusive dashboard—essential for shaping local policy and industry strategies.
🙏 A special thank you to Lighthouse Intelligence, our Knowledge Partner, for their continued expertise.
💡 The next edition will be released in August 2025, covering Q2 2025 trends, including post-Easter travel impacts and early summer demand dynamics.
Explore more insights in our research section: https://buff.ly/3DZKKjw
#CityDNA #CityDNALighthouseShortTermRentals #CityDNAResearchAndInsights #ShortTermRentals #DataDrivenInsights #DMOs #TourismIntelligence #Research
[CITYDNA SUMMER SCHOOL 🎓] 🚀 Ready to boost your career in the meetings industry?
The CityDNA Summer School 2025 is your gateway to hands-on learning, expert insights and real connections. Join us in Luxembourg from August 25-29, 2025 for the most complete and experience-driven ...training course in Europe for newcomers to the sector — whether you work for a CVB, venue, PCO or DMC.
🧠 Learn by doing:
From interactive workshops on sustainability, EDI and legacy to an outdoor client deep dive and roundtable reflections, the programme is built to inspire, involve and connect.
🎤 Why does it matter? Hear it directly from Dennis Speet, Managing Director of Amsterdam Convention Bureau and Course Leader of the CityDNA Summer School:
📽️ https://youtu.be/AFqcgsKiLSc?si=mxfh3evXdyYuukuM
💡 Early bird rates are available until June 20 — don’t miss out!
👉 Register now: https://citydestinationsalliance.eu/event/39th-citydna-summer-school-2025-luxembourg/
#CityDNA #CityDNASummerSchool #MeetingsIndustry #ProfessionalDevelopment #EventProfs #Networking #LearningByDoing Luxembourg City Tourist Office - LCTO
Meet European Cities
citydestinationsalliance.eu[DEPLOYTOUR 🚀] What’s next for tourism and data in Europe? Let’s find out together. 🔍
City Destinations Alliance is proud to be part of the DEPLOYTOUR consortium and invites you to join the very first Stakeholders Forum — a new collaborative space where tourism, data, and ...innovation meet.
📅 June 26 | 11:00 CET
💬 Join experts and key stakeholders from across Europe to explore forward-looking perspectives on the tourism sector’s digital transformation.
With confirmed contributions from World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the European Commission, this is an unmissable opportunity to connect, exchange knowledge, and help shape the future of tourism in Europe.
👉 Register now: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/DnqH7rK3Tpq-2u7ZOUja3w#/registration
#CityDNA #TourismData #DEPLOYTOUR #DataSpaces #InnovationInTourism #EUProjects #SmartDestinations #StakeholderEngagement
[CITY CARDS EXPERT MEETING 💳] A heartfelt thank you to all participants for the rich discussions, shared experiences, and visionary thinking that made this 14th #CityDNACityCards Expert Meeting in Gdańsk so valuable.
And a very special thank you to the incredible Visit Gdansk team — ...Karolina Pażusis, Maciej Łabuda, and Katarzyna Bryłka — for hosting us with such professionalism, warmth, and energy.
See you all next year for the 15th edition, taking place in Hamburg (date to be announced soon)!
#CityDNA #CityDNACityCards #CityCards #StrongerTogether #SmartTourism Hamburg Ahoi
[CITY CARDS EXPERT MEETING 💳] 🌧️☀️ Rain or shine, the CityDNA City Cards Expert Meeting in Gdańsk last week delivered unforgettable moments on and off the agenda!
From the first evening’s Old Town walk under umbrellas (with nothing but smiles), to lively conversations over ...fine cuisine at TYGLE Gdańskie and Piwnica Rajców, the social programme reminded us that connection happens best around shared experiences.
🚣♀️ And who could forget the epic Dragon Boat Challenge? What started as a team-building activity quickly turned into a crowd-drawing spectacle with our participants becoming the attraction on the Motława River. Paddle, compete, and connect? Mission accomplished. 💪
Beyond the sessions and insights, it’s these moments that forge lasting bonds across Europe’s destination leaders.
#CityDNA #CityDNACityCards #CityCards #TeamSpirit #IndustryConnections #SmartTourism #StrongerTogether Visit Gdansk
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[CITY CARDS EXPERT MEETING 💳] The final sessions brought sharp focus to performance, product development, and digital innovation.
🎤 Milena Steiger from Basel Tourism shared the strategic evolution of the BaselCard — a free digital card for overnight guests offering public transport... access and 50% discounts on 30+ attractions. With over 1.5M overnights in 2024, Basel is preparing for the future by shifting to a more sustainable financing model and refining its “digital-first” approach to better meet changing guest needs.
📊 Gianluca Camaggio introduced the Barcelona Congress Card, a specialised product designed for event participants. His presentation sparked a broader conversation on the diversity of city card models across Europe — from tourist-focused to event-specific to resident-integrated.
📈 Anna Kepes from Budapest wrapped up the segment with a compelling case study: an 80% increase in online sales of the Budapest Card, thanks to a simplified offer, fewer versions, sharper messaging, and well-targeted digital campaigns.
💬 The morning concluded with a roundtable on product development, where members exchanged tactics for packaging, pricing, and strengthening relevance through data.
From business travellers to cultural explorers, it’s clear: city cards must stay responsive, data-driven, and designed for real people!
#CityDNA #CityDNACityCards #CityCards #TourismInnovation #DigitalStrategy #BaselCard #BarcelonaCongressCard #BudapestCard #SmartTourism Visit Gdansk
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[CITY CARDS EXPERT MEETING 💳] Day 2 of the CityDNA City Cards Expert Meeting in Gdańsk started strong with insights from two cities balancing legacy and innovation in their card strategies.
After a quick ice-breaker, participants heard two inspiring case studies:
🔹 ...Poznan.travel: Joanna Gonia-Kołodziejczyk presented the evolution of the Poznań City Card: from a printed booklet launched in 2003 to a dual-format offer in 2025, including a mobile app and special packages for conferences like impact’25. With 77 attractions (20 free), growing online sales, and 82% of cards bundled with transport, Poznań is scaling steadily while targeting smarter distribution and seasonality.
🔹 Salzburg.info: Stefan Loidl shared how the Salzburg Card, now in its 30th year, is adapting to major strategic shifts. With over 3 million overnight stays and 6.5 million day tourists, Salzburg is planning an extended digital transformation, stakeholder-led tourism vision for 2040, and the development of a “Salzburg Local Card” concept to include social, cultural, and nature-based benefits for locals and visitors alike.
🧩 The session concluded with a group discussion on how to keep service providers engaged.
#CityDNA #CityDNACityCards #CityCards #TourismInnovation #DigitalTransformation #PartnerEngagement #SmartTourism Visit Gdansk