CityDNA
Investing in the next generation
THE INTERNATIONAL DESTINATION ALLIANCE ASKS WHO IS PREPARING THE NEXT GENERATION OF MEETINGS PROFESSIONALS?
T he business events industry
is investing heavily in technology, sustainability and innovation. Yet a critical question that often receives less attention is: Who is preparing the next generation of professionals who will be responsible for delivering that future?
Talent development is becoming a strategic priority. The upcoming 40th edition of the CityDNA Summer School in Dijon, France, provides an opportunity to reflect on what effective industry learning and knowledge transfer should look like today.
The business events industry has always been built on relationships, knowledge exchange and collaboration. Yet one of its greatest challenges remains remarkably consistent: how do we prepare new professionals for a sector that is becoming increasingly demanding?
As destinations respond to sustainability expectations, technological disruption and growing pressure to demonstrate impact, the skills required of meetings professionals continue to evolve. Technical expertise alone is no longer enough. Future industry leaders must understand how to work across stakeholder groups, build partnerships and translate strategy into action. Since its first edition in 1987, the CityDNA Summer School has welcomed 2,200 professionals to its programme, many of whom have gone on to leadership roles within convention bureaux, destination organisations, venues and agencies. The programme’ s longevity suggests that some of the
industry’ s most valuable learning still happens through peer exchange and practical experience rather than traditional classroom instruction alone.
The 2026 edition reflects this philosophy. Participants will explore topics ranging from destination bidding and stakeholder management to sustainability, legacy, association and corporate clients, AI and
CityDNA Summer School Award
Below: CityDNA Summer School Brno 2024 © Maris Foto technology. The programme is designed around discussion, workshops, case studies and direct interaction with industry practitioners.
The faculty itself offers another lesson. Industry leaders contribute their time on a voluntary basis, reflecting a longstanding culture of mentorship within the meetings sector. This commitment was recently recognised at IMEX Frankfurt 2026, where course director Dennis Speet received the CityDNA Summer School Award for his longstanding contribution to developing future industry talent. Knowledge transfer is viewed not as an individual responsibility but as a collective investment in the industry’ s future. As Speet noted:“ Having first experienced the Summer School as a faculty member for many years before becoming course director, I have seen firsthand the impact this programme can have on new professionals entering the industry. Being part of that journey, and helping shape future talent together with such a dedicated community, has been incredibly rewarding.”
Perhaps the most enduring lesson from nearly four decades of Summer Schools is that professional development is ultimately about people. Alumni consistently cite the relationships they built as one of the programme’ s most valuable outcomes. In an industry where collaboration remains essential, those networks often prove as important as the knowledge gained during the week itself.
As the business events sector continues to evolve, the question is no longer whether talent development matters. It is how the industry chooses to invest in it. The upcoming 40th edition of the CityDNA Summer School suggests that one answer lies in combining practical learning, mentorship and meaningful human connections, creating not just better professionals, but a stronger and more resilient industry overall. n
n https:// citydestinationsalliance. eu /
ISSUE 143 / CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD / 43