The GDS-Forum & CityDNA Autumn Conference 2024, held from 15-18 October in Bruges, Belgium, brought together over 270 industry experts and decision-makers from 125 destinations and companies. Of these attendees, 220 participated in CityDNA’s event. The theme was ‘Let Pigs Fly: Defying the Gravity of Impossible in Urban Tourism’, addressing the tourism sector’s greatest challenges and the creative thinking required to overcome them. City Destinations Alliance (CityDNA) is the alliance of tourist boards, convention bureaux and destination management organisations in Europe.
Among the keynote speakers for the event was Julia van Boven, co-founder of The School of Moral Ambition. She encouraged attendees to redefine success in terms of the positive impact their work can have on society.
Also speaking at the event was sustainability futurist Ed Gillespie. “It’s time to move beyond traditional efficiency metrics and adopt transformative solutions that address our most pressing environmental challenges,” Gillespie told the conference.
Other speakers included Maya Janssen from amsterdam&partners, Ralf Pastleitner from TUI, Bernadett Papp from the European Tourism Futures Institute travel journalist Paige McClanahan.
Some of the key trends explored at the conference were: Moral ambition in tourism: central theme urging professionals to pursue sustainable values Radical collaboration: emphasising collaboration among stakeholders to develop the tourism industry Sustainable practices: how low-carbon transport solutions are the future of responsible travel Inclusivity and accessibility: the importance of accessibility in tourism, featuring successful case stories of past initiatives The role of AI: how AI can optimise operations, enhance visitor experiences and assist in decision-making Influencing visitor behaviour: how to influence visitor behaviour to promote sustainable practices
The conference was moderated by Signe Jungersted from Group NAO.
Barbara Jamison-Woods, president of City Destinations Alliance, commented: “The ideas, collaborations and actions initiated here in Bruges will inspire and shape the future of urban tourism and the visitor economy across Europe.”
The next CityDNA International Conference is set to take place in Budapest on 9-11 April 2025.
