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.
Accessibility Survey
Accessibility is the tool, Inclusion is the Objective
We want to help destinations create a more welcoming environment for people with disabilities! City Destinations Alliance and Destinations International are collaborating on a global accessibility report to investigate the evolving accessibility landscape in destinations across Europe and North America.
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
![[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](https://citydestinationsalliance.eu/wp-content/plugins/social-wall/img/placeholder.png)
[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
[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
[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
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[REALITY CHECK! ✔️] Session Recaps from the #CityDNA #RealityCheck Conference in Bologna!
Attendees had the opportunity to choose between 2 engaging sessions:
1️⃣ #AuthenticityCheck: We shifted focus from the digital to the deeply real in a session dedicated to #authentic ...storytelling. With Marcella Gaspardone from Turismo Torino that was accompanied by blogger Elisa Paterlini, attendees delved into how true stories of local people, places, and culture can shape destination branding. Highlights included Glasgow Life’s Alex Harvie discussing the power of local voices, while Cesarine’s Davide Maggi showcased how cuisine opens doors to genuine cultural experiences.
2️⃣ #TheBuzzIsReal: Led by Iris Kerst, Ko Koens of InhollandUniv / Tourism Lab Rotterdam, and Claire van Schagen from Rotterdam Partners, this session explored the impact of overused #buzzwords in tourism. Participants engaged in a collective #realitycheck, discussing how to move beyond buzzwords to foster authentic and meaningful innovations in city tourism.
Both sessions offered deep dives into the essence of storytelling and the use of language in tourism, pushing the boundaries of how we understand and promote authentic experiences.
#TourismInnovation #DestinationBranding #CityTourism
Group NAO Bologna Convention Bureau Bologna Welcome
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[REALITY CHECK! ✔️] This morning, for the 1st session of the #CityDNA #RealityCheck Conference, we took a deep dive into the future of #AUTHENTICITY in the era of #ARTIFICIAL, exploring the dynamic interplay between AI and cultural authenticity.
1️⃣ Virtual Influences: The session ...opened with an intriguing presentation from Esther Olofsson, the world's first virtual human travel influencer, and her creator Maarten Reijgersberg of RAUWcc. They explored the potential of digital personas to revolutionize marketing and reshape our interactions online.
2️⃣ Ethical Considerations: Pernille Tranberg from DataEthics.eu broadened the conversation with insights on the ethical implications of AI, urging a thoughtful approach to integrating technology while preserving cultural integrity.
3️⃣ AI Meets Tradition: The discussion continued with Davide Maggi from Cesarine, who illustrated how GenAI is innovatively enhancing the authenticity of Italian cultural experiences, from cuisine to heritage.
🎤 The session culminated in a dynamic panel discussion with all three speakers, providing a holistic view of the challenges and opportunities presented by AI in enhancing and understanding our cultural landscapes.
#DigitalTransformation #TechInTourism #VirtualReality #PanelDiscussion
Group NAO Bologna Convention Bureau Bologna Welcome
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[REALITY CHECK! ✔️] 🌞 Starting Day 2 of the #CityDNA #RealityCheck Conference with an Alliance Check in beautiful Bologna! CityDNA President Barbara Jamison-Woods took the stage with former President Petra Stušek and the Executive Committee composed of VPs Patrick Bontinck, Michael Otremba,... Sabine Schwanz, alongside Treasurer Patrik Romano and COO Flavie de Bueil.
They unveiled the 'State of The Alliance,' offering a dynamic vision for our future events and projects!
#RealityCheck #StateOfTheAlliance
Bologna Convention Bureau Bologna Welcome
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[REALITY CHECK! ✔️] 🔥 What a session at the #CityDNA #RealityCheck Conference in Bologna: The #PowerofCommunity shone bright as we welcomed an impressive lineup to the stage.
Four leading minds, Geerte Udo from I amsterdam, Petra Stušek, former President of City Destinations ...Alliance, Claire Mertens from Visit Antwerp, and Inga Hlin Pallsdottir, from Visit Reykjavík, graced us with a changeover ceremony of sorts – a symbolic check-in and check-out of destination executives.
Together, they delved into the evolving landscape of #DestinationLeadership.
💡 Their combined expertise offered precious insights into executing truly impactful projects in the world of travel and tourism.
#CityDNA #TourismLeadership #DMOInsights
Group NAO Bologna Convention Bureau Bologna Welcome