CityDNA International Conference & General Assembly 2024, Bologna

The CityDNA International Conference & General Assembly 2024 will be held in Bologna, on April 24-27, 2024.

Call for Speakers

REALITY CHECK!

ON FACTS AND FICTION IN URBAN TOURISM

Every day, as we open our news feeds, seek advice, look for inspiration, we are challenged to distinguish truth from fiction and noise. Our ability to recognise what is real has shifted, and we are left with questioning both the impact and authenticity of our experiences. In an age of blurred realities and constant scrutiny of information, the time has come for a deep reality check on urban tourism!

What does this mean for city destinations, event planning, destination marketing, urban placemaking and much more? How can we, and our stakeholders, differentiate fact from fiction when it comes to the true impact and value of tourism and meetings? How do you keep in check with the authentic voice of your destination, whilst also adopting new AI-generated tools?  What will actually happen as we enter the era of deepfakes, and artificial reality unfolded – are you ready for a new era of Destination Unreal?

This is a Call for Speakers to help us perform a collaborative reality check on urban tourism, as we convene for the City Destinations Alliance International Conference & General Assembly from April 24 – 27, 2024 in Bologna.

We invite you to respond to this call if you are interested to speak and/or facilitate a co-creative session either as yourself or with partners and colleagues. The important thing is that you are on theme and have a valuable contribution to make for and with the audience.

Can you check the box on any of the following topics and questions, or if you have another approach to checking the reality of urban tourism, we want to hear from you:

• Fact Check the Impact and Value of Tourism: Do you have any cases or new research to share that deep dives into the societal impact and genuine value of tourism and meetings for cities and urban communities?
• Pulse Check on Destination Trends & Innovations: Share your insights on what is shaping the future of urban tourism and how to stay ahead of the curve.
• Check Your Authentic Intelligence In The Era Of Artificial Intelligence? How can we credibly claim to share the authentic voices of a destination, while staying ahead and future-ready in adapting to new technological and digital realities?
• Deepfake it till you make it? What’s the impact of virtual influencers on the future of destination marketing?
• Checks Balanced for Future Resilience? Follow the financial trail of your DMO/CVB revenue streams and business models. Are your checks and balances in place to navigate future challenges and public budget cuts?
• Check Mate Your Risk Scenarios: Do you have examples of managing risks and uncertainties for big investments and events?
• Raincheck on Sustainable Claims? Did the EU Green Claims Directive scare us off talking about sustainability? What are the cases or frameworks that can help keep us in check, whilst also sharing progress and inspiration for pushing the green transition forward?

Or what is the reality check that you want to make? You can share your own or tell us which reality, you think we need to check together in Bologna.

We want to hear your ideas and thoughts, so please do not hesitate to pitch yourself as speaker for this Call. Write us 2-3 paragraphs with your core message and relevance, and why this should be shared with a European DMO/CVB audience.

Please note that if you answer this call, you are expected to prepare an interactive and co-creative format. We welcome great ideas for formats or different approaches to presenting, sharing and learning together. Please also note that the conference will be in English, and no translation will be made available.

We always look for quality content and topicality first. We strive for diversity, cultural background, in geography, gender, and more. We welcome and encourage leads and submissions from everyone. This also includes speakers of varying exposure and experience – the important thing is that you tap into the theme and have an elephant to share.

Please submit your proposals and leads to CityDNA associates and conference designers, Group NAO before December 30, 2023. CityDNA and Group NAO reserve the right to select the best suited proposals regarding the theme of the conference! Expect to hear from us late January 2024.