City Destinations Alliance (CityDNA) recently welcomed 48 students from 18 countries to its 39th Summer School, held this year in Luxembourg. Since 1987, the CityDNA Summer School has been a catalyst for over 2,200 professionals in the meetings industry, providing skills, insights, and connections needed to thrive in a fast-evolving sector.
This year, over four days, participants explored both the fundamentals of the business events industry – client engagement, bidding strategies, association and corporate focus and the role of PCOs – together with topics such as sustainability, equity, diversity and inclusion, event legacy, and the growing role of AI. Highlights included interactive workshops, outdoor breakout sessions, a collaborative Hackathon, and a visit to the European Convention Center Luxembourg (ECCL). Cultural and social activities reinforced the Summer School’s mix of education and networking.
The programme was led by course director Dennis Speet, managing director of the Amsterdam Convention Bureau, and delivered by an international faculty of senior industry leaders: Richard Allchild (IMEX Group), Corinne Both (Axium by Parker), Degmo Daar( NoorD Consulting), Flavie de Bueil (City Destinations Alliance), Jonathan Easton (Gevme), Barbara Jamison-Woods (London & Partners/City Destinations Alliance), Leena Lassila (Helsinki Partners), James Latham (The Iceberg), Tadeja Pivc-Coudyser (Antwerp Convention Bureau), Giulia Sarri (AIM Group International/IAPCO), Antje Voss (Luxembourg City Tourist Office), Daniel Waigl (CIRSE).
This was the third time Luxembourg City hosted the Summer School, after previous editions in 1988 and 1999. Participants heard from Eric Thill, Luxembourg’s minister for culture and delegate minister for tourism and CityDNA partnered with Luxembourg City for the launch of its new promotional video “A Bubble Full of Life”, attended by students and faculty.
“Welcoming the CityDNA Summer School for the third time to Luxembourg has been a privilege,”said Antje Voss, CEO of Luxembourg City Tourist Office. “As a city that combines international outlook with human scale, we were proud to showcase our approach to sustainability, inclusivity, and hospitality. This event was not only an investment in the next generation of professionals but also an opportunity to share our vision with the broader industry.”
“The CityDNA Summer School is where careers begin and where the DNA of our industry takes shape,” said Barbara Jamison-Woods, president of City Destinations Alliance. “By investing in people, we not only equip individuals for success but also reinforce the collective strength and resilience of our community. And as they grow in their careers, CityDNA will be there to support the next steps — including the launch of our very first CVB Expert Meeting in Graz in January 2026, created specifically for CVB professionals to connect, reflect, and shape the future of our community together.”
The 40th edition of the CityDNA Summer School will take place in Dijon, France, on 24-28 August, 2026.
