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.
Call for Speakers: Let Pigs Fly
CityDNA Autumn Conference, October 16-18, 2024
“When pigs fly” is synonymous with the unachievable and the lunacy of improbable ventures. Yet, we are finding ourselves in a position where we have no choice but to let the pigs fly. This is an invitation to share your stories of instigating change in your destination, when others had doubts. It’s about the bravery to transform ‘what if’ into ‘what is’ in urban tourism and the visitor economy. This is a conference to bring out those who are brave, curious and downright bonkers enough to try! Those who work to create a culture that demands big (or unusual) thinking. The sky will be anything but the limit, for humans and non-humans alike to go for the Mission Impossible in destination innovation, radical solutions, and for simply focusing on doing cool s***.
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.
Call for Tender
CityDNA is seeking conference curators!
City Destinations Alliance is seeking conference curators who can develop inspiring, innovative, and forward-thinking programmes with original formats and moderate the entire conference in an engaging manner. They will have to demonstrate a solid network and experience when recruiting speakers and conceptualising international events as well as a solid knowledge of the tourism and Meetings Industry sectors.
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
![[WE*GENERATE PODCAST🎙️] From a sleepy shipyard town to holding the artistic crown
The WE*GENERATE podcast has launched! This CityDNA podcast series, made in collaboration with Group NAO, interviews destinations across Europe to find out what it really means to generate together, regenerative tourism futures.
Kicking off is a three-part sequence WE*GENERATE: PLACES. In episode 1, we sat down with Xavier Theret, Head of International Promotion and Relations for CityDNA member Le Voyage à Nantes, to find out how a sleepy shipyard town was transformed by public art initiatives like an elephant and an infamous green line…
Curious to hear more? Listen here: https://buff.ly/3UKLrDa
#CityDNA #WeGeneratePodcast](https://citydestinationsalliance.eu/wp-content/plugins/social-wall/img/placeholder.png)
[WE*GENERATE PODCAST🎙️] From a sleepy shipyard town to holding the artistic crown
The WE*GENERATE podcast has launched! This CityDNA podcast series, made in collaboration with Group NAO, interviews destinations across Europe to find out what it really means to generate together, ...regenerative tourism futures.
Kicking off is a three-part sequence WE*GENERATE: PLACES. In episode 1, we sat down with Xavier Theret, Head of International Promotion and Relations for CityDNA member Le Voyage à Nantes, to find out how a sleepy shipyard town was transformed by public art initiatives like an elephant and an infamous green line…
Curious to hear more? Listen here: https://buff.ly/3UKLrDa
#CityDNA #WeGeneratePodcast
[REALITY CHECK! ✔️] 🚀🌍 Exciting revelations from the #CityDNA #RealityCheck Conference in Bologna!
Here's a sneak peek:
🤖💬 Is the future of tourism human or AI-driven? Our attendees had mixed feelings—what's your stance?
🌱🔍 Sustainability: Are we ...walking the walk or just talking the talk? The insights might surprise you.
🎯📈 Delve into the detailed findings and vibrant discussions about the future of destination management in our conference recap.
Check the full recap: https://buff.ly/3y80rSC
Be part of our next conference in Bruges, registrations are open and the call for speakers is out now: https://buff.ly/3ULYggu
Group NAO
Bologna Welcome Bologna Convention Bureau
Visit Bruges Visit Bruges Convention Bureau
[INSIGHTS REPORT 📝] 📢 Reminder Alert! 📢
Did you catch wind of our latest report launch? If not, here's your chance! 🚀
"Redefining Success – How DMOs can Drive Social & Community Well-Being" in collaboration with TOPOSOPHY is out in the wild, packed with ...insights and practical strategies for DMOs to make a positive impact. 🌍✨
🔍 Dive into the report to discover:
- Eight Impact Themes
- Four KPI examples per theme
- Practical actions for implementation
Download the report: https://buff.ly/44sV5NU
But wait, there's more! 📣 Don't forget to register for tomorrow's webinar on May 7, 2024, at 15:00 CET. Join us as we delve deeper into the report's key themes and explore how you can drive social and community well-being in your area! 💬🗣️
Secure your spot now: https://buff.ly/4drWvfG
#CityDNA #CommunityWellBeing #RedefiningSuccess
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![Lightbox link for post with description [REALITY CHECK! ✔️] 🌟 A huge thank you to...](https://scontent-sea1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/440571632_848792447290600_8094556426795413419_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_p720x720&_nc_cat=109&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=5f2048&_nc_ohc=ADEPyAJOwyAQ7kNvgH6t0sD&_nc_ht=scontent-sea1-1.xx&edm=AKIiGfEEAAAA&oh=00_AfDE0ksYmH8ph_3xzA2aSG_6p9XDC78YvbkcykWAosXk8w&oe=664188CC){kind=link}
[REALITY CHECK! ✔️] 🌟 A huge thank you to Bologna Welcome for hosting our CityDNA International Conference & General Assembly last week!
🎉 Your warm welcome made us feel right at home in the beautiful city of Bologna.
We were delighted by the wonderful surprises—nothing ...beats authentic Italian pizza 🍕 and gelato 🍨 in the middle of insightful discussions and networking! These thoughtful touches truly enhanced our experience!
A special shoutout to Bologna's partners whose contributions played a crucial role in the success of our event. Thank you La Casona Eventi for the catering service. Thank you, Immagini e Suoni, for providing the exceptional technical support that kept our presentations running smoothly and for anticipating our needs. And a heartfelt thanks to Immaginazione srl - Eventi Congressi Graphic Solutions for the fantastic banners and signs that adorned all the event's venues, making everyone feel truly part of something special.
We are grateful for the dedication and hard work of everyone involved!
#CityDNA #RealityCheck
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[REALITY CHECK! ✔️] We would like to thank all our partners for making the #RealityCheck CityDNA International Conference & General Assembly a real success with a record number of 227 participants!
#CityDNA
HQ Mags Destinatie Nederland Arcus Technologies CELTH ForwardKeys Lighthouse... Mabrian Technologies MMGY TCI Research Modul University Vienna Saint Elmo's TOPOSOPHY IMEX Simpleview The Data Appeal Company
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[REALITY CHECK! ✔️] Last session from the #CityDNA #RealityCheck Conference in Bologna!
We've just unveiled our new report, 'Redefining Success: How DMOs Can Drive Social & Community Well-Being.' This latest effort builds upon our successful collaborations, offering ...DMOs fresh insights into designing meaningful KPIs and practical applications to enhance their impact on community and social well-being.
📘 The report introduces eight Impact Themes, each with four KPI examples and practical actions to empower DMOs to effectively communicate their positive contributions to the neighbourhoods, cities, and regions they serve. It also provides a blend of measurement methodologies that combine traditional and emerging technologies.
🎤 During this session, Chris Armstrong and Peter Jordan from TOPOSOPHY presented this guide, packed with real-world case studies and innovative strategies linked to the visitor economy.
🔗 Stay tuned for an in-depth exploration of the report’s themes in our upcoming webinar on May 7th: https://buff.ly/3Wgqr8f
#DMO #CommunityWellbeing #SocialImpact #TourismInnovation
Group NAO Bologna Convention Bureau Bologna Welcome
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[REALITY CHECK! ✔️] Session Recaps from the #CityDNA #RealityCheck Conference in Bologna!
Attendees had the opportunity to choose between 2 insightful sessions:
1️⃣ #GreenClaimsCheck: Led by Guy Bigwood and Bella Shahsuvaryan, this session dove deep into the implications of the... new EU Green Claims Directive. Attendees co-created 8 guiding principles to ensure their destination's sustainability efforts are reliable, transparent, and verifiable. An invaluable workshop for any #DMO or #CVB looking to authentically share their green transition story under the new legislative framework.
2️⃣ #BigDataCheck: 5 Reasons Why DMOs Should Not Leverage Big Data: Hannah Babineau and Giovanni Arata from The Data Appeal Company & Fondazione Bologna Welcome challenged misconceptions about the use of big data in destination marketing. The session highlighted the risks and missed opportunities of neglecting data, making a compelling case for its essential role in enhancing destination strategies.
Both sessions provided transformative insights, challenging participants to rethink how they manage and promote their destinations with integrity and innovation.
#SustainableTourism #DataDriven #TourismInnovation #CityTourism
Group NAO Bologna Convention Bureau Bologna Welcome
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[REALITY CHECK! ✔️] Session Recaps from the #CityDNA #RealityCheck Conference in Bologna!
Attendees had the opportunity to choose between 2 innovative sessions:
1️⃣ #ChangePerspective: Today, attendees experienced a unique take on urban exploration. Uncomfortable Tours with ...Marilena Netty provided a #criticalcheck into lesser-known historical narratives, spotlighting the often-uncomfortable truths behind city landmarks. Meanwhile, City of Vilnius’ Sabina Mackevič-Lagutkinę introduced the 'Touch and Hear Vilnius' tour, offering a sensory journey through the Old Town that challenges conventional sightseeing by emphasizing touch and hearing.
2️⃣ #DataCheckImpact: EVALUATING EVENT IMPACT WITH DATA: Led by Jennifer Ruiz Moreno from Mastercard’s Tourism Innovation Hub, this session delved into the precision of data in measuring the impacts of events. Participants learned about cutting-edge techniques to capture and analyse data, enhancing their understanding of an event’s environmental, social, and legacy contributions to their destinations.
Both sessions provided profound insights into the multifaceted approaches to understanding and enhancing city experiences and event impacts, challenging participants to think differently about the spaces and events they manage.
#UrbanExploration #DataDriven #TourismInnovation #CityTourism
Group NAO Bologna Convention Bureau Bologna Welcome