The City Destinations Alliance International Conference & General Assembly opened with calls to expand the role of destination marketing organisations beyond promotion, positioning them as stewards of inclusive, resilient urban environments. The conference combined strategic insights, sustainability priorities and emerging technologies to chart a new course for urban tourism. Sessions featured forward‑looking dialogues on Europe’s competitiveness, the European Commission’s upcoming Sustainable Tourism Strategy, and the strategic use of AI, data and investment to strengthen tourism infrastructure.

Charting Future‑Ready Visitor Economies

Attendees gained exclusive first insights from the City Travel Report 2024–25, which confirmed the sector’s recovery and shifting traveller behaviours, while speakers from McKinsey, Miles Partnership and Platin Ventures highlighted innovative financing, responsible‑travel markets and AI‑driven destination management. Throughout the conference, panels on community‑centred tourism, Vienna’s Visitor Economy strategy and the CityDNA Sustainability Survey underscored the need for tourism that balances growth with social and environmental impact.