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JMIC and IMEX Policy Forum CityDNA’ s advocacy reach has extended further with the appointment of Flavie de Bueil( COO of CityDNA) to the Board of JMIC, ensuring the voice of European city destinations is heard at the highest levels. Additionally, CityDNA will continue to support the IMEX Policy Forum( 20 May, Frankfurt). Barbara Jamison-Woods stated:“ Engaging policymakers at events like the IMEX Policy Forum is crucial. These discussions help shape policies that will define the future of business events and the visitor economy across Europe and beyond.” |
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experiences and improve content strategies.
Reputation and citizen engagement – Demonstrating the strategic value of DMOs in urban development and transforming residents into tourism ambassadors.
Integration with city planning – Aligning tourism goals with broader urban development priorities to create sustainable, liveable cities.
CEOs shared insights on how their destinations are navigating these challenges. One example is a DMO that leveraged AI to personalise visitor experiences while simultaneously engaging local businesses. Another CEO highlighted the struggle to justify funding requests to city authorities, emphasising the need for data-driven impact measurement to demonstrate tourism’ s contribution to the local economy.
These discussions will continue at the CityDNA International Conference in Budapest. Under the theme‘ Beyond Boundaries: Driving Tourism’ s Business Transformation’, industry leaders and destination managers will explore key areas such as rethinking success metrics, leveraging AI, aligning marketing with economic development and addressing sustainability challenges.
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AI as an advocacy tool A major takeaway from the CEO Meeting was the transformational power of AI in strengthening DMOs’ influence on policy and urban planning. CityDNA is encouraging members to explore AI-powered solutions that can:
• Enhance visitor engagement with real-time personalised recommendations, showcasing tourism’ s contribution to quality of life.
• Automate content creation to improve efficiency and amplify the visibility of city destinations.
• Optimise operations by predicting visitor flows, helping cities manage tourism sustainably and improve urban planning.
By leveraging data-driven advocacy, DMOs can make a stronger case for funding, policy support, and integration into smart city strategies.
As one CEO pointed out:“ AI is not just a tool for efficiency – it is a strategic enabler that can redefine how we engage with visitors and stakeholders.” To further explore AI’ s role in policy advocacy and destination management, the Budapest Conference in April will hear from Sam Beni from Platin Ventures.
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Above: 18th CityDNA CEO Meeting, Monaco January 2025 |
Call to action CityDNA’ s advocacy efforts are entering a pivotal phase, and now is the time for DMOs to engage. The organisation is working on data-driven advocacy initiatives, supporting research on the economic impact of DMOs and expanding partnerships with EU institutions. Part of this effort is DEPLOYTOUR, an EU project where CityDNA and 43 partners are shaping a common European tourism dataspace. It will ensure DMOs have a voice in data-sharing frameworks, enabling them to contribute and access insights on visitor behaviour, sustainability, and economic impact. By actively engaging in this process, DMOs can influence tourism data governance and urban planning.
As DMOs face mounting pressures – ranging from climate change policies to evolving urban strategies – CityDNA is committed to ensuring its members are at the forefront of decision-making.
“ Advocacy is no longer optional,” said Jamison-Woods.“ It’ s a necessity if we want our cities to thrive, attract investment and remain competitive in the global market.” n
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