BestCities
Creative collaborations for thriving communities
WE REPORT ON THE RECENT BESTCITIES GLOBAL FORUM 2025 IN DUBLIN
T he historic city of Dublin recently played host to the BestCities Global Forum, where industry leaders converged to explore‘ Creative collaborations: Innovating for greater communities’. In Ireland’ s capital – named the 2024 European Capital of Smart Tourism – delegates examined how collaborative approaches can drive innovation, foster inclusivity, and transform global challenges into community-driven solutions.
The forum leveraged Dublin’ s thriving technology ecosystem to demonstrate cutting-edge developments in the events industry. Barry Rogers, head of Dublin City Tourism Unit, opened proceedings by highlighting the city’ s Smart Tourism Programme, which encompasses over 20 pioneering projects.
Technology took centre stage with Mark Kelly’ s exploration of artificial intelligence’ s evolution from simple tools to sophisticated agents now partnering with businesses across the events sector. His presentation illuminated how AI is reshaping destination marketing, attendee engagement, and operational logistics for convention bureaus worldwide. Delegates were particularly engaged by case studies demonstrating measurable improvements in sustainability metrics and attendee satisfaction through AI implementation.
Maryrose Lyons followed with a handson workshop that equipped attendees with practical AI applications to enhance event planning and operational efficiency. Participants left with actionable strategies to implement AI tools that could reduce planning time by up to 30 % while improving personalisation capabilities.
Local culture meets global vision A standout feature of this year’ s forum was the strategic partnership with iconic Irish organisations including the Gaelic Athletics Association and Gaelic Players Association. These collaborations illuminated how deeply embedded cultural institutions can contribute to community building – aligning with the forum’ s central theme of creative collaboration.
Representatives shared how their community-centred approach has sustained Irish sporting traditions for generations while simultaneously addressing contemporary social challenges. Their community outreach programmes provided a blueprint for how convention bureaus might similarly engage with local stakeholders to create more authentic, impactful events.
Left: A Patrick Delaney welcome in Dublin
Impact through collaboration The BestCities Global Alliance is a network of 13 leading convention bureaus and structures its mission around three core initiatives:
The Incredible Impacts Programme celebrates the societal value of international association meetings beyond traditional tourism metrics. Each year, independent judges award grants of $ 20,000 and $ 5,000 to organisations demonstrating exceptional impact. Past recipients showcased their initiatives during a dedicated session, highlighting successful knowledge transfer programmes and community engagement strategies.
The Madrid Challenge unites destinations and associations in promoting sustainable event industry models. Participants pledge to deliver value beyond tourism, raising industry standards by prioritising impact and sustainability in organisational strategies. During the forum, five new organisations signed the challenge, committing to measurable sustainability targets for their upcoming events.
The alliance’ s Commitment to a Sustainable Future guides associations and destinations toward creating sustainable meetings with meaningful legacies for host communities. A panel discussion featuring sustainability experts provided concrete examples of how event legacies can support local economic development, environmental conservation, and social inclusion.
Looking forward: Guadalajara 2026 The forum previewed next year’ s gathering in Guadalajara, Mexico, scheduled to run 5-8 February, 2026. There delegates will explore‘ Innovating with tradition, for a sustainable future’. Ligia González from the Guadalajara Convention & Visitors Bureau shared her vision for an event that will celebrate the region’ s rich cultural heritage while demonstrating how traditional practices can inspire contemporary solutions for sustainable event design and execution. n
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