European city tourism leaders chart new direction for visitor economy at CityDNA 2025 Autumn Conference

More than 130 tourism executives, city representatives and destination leaders from across Europe gathered in Tórshavn, Faroe Islands, for the City Destinations Alliance (CityDNA) Autumn Conference 2025, held from 30 September to 3 October. Under the theme “Refreshed City Perspectives,” the event focused on redefining the role of urban destinations in a changing global visitor economy.

Hosted by Visit Tórshavn, the conference emphasised collaboration, resilience and shared purpose, while addressing major challenges related to sustainability, technology, resident engagement and long-term destination management.

The Tórshavn Declaration: a framework for the next 18 months

A central outcome of the conference was the launch of the Tórshavn Declaration, a collective initiative that will guide European Destination Marketing and Management Organisations (DMOs) toward a more responsible and future-ready model. The declaration, now in development, highlights five strategic priorities for cities:

• Stronger tourism advocacy at EU level
• Sustainable and diversified funding for DMOs
• Inclusive tourism policies
• Ethical use of data and AI
• Digital transformation with human-centric values

Barbara Jamison-Woods, President of CityDNA, stated: “The Tórshavn Declaration is the beginning of a shared movement. Cities are co-authoring a vision that balances growth with responsibility, ensuring tourism works for both visitors and residents.”

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Redefining destination identity and community value

Conference sessions emphasised the shift from destination promotion to destination stewardship. Speakers such as Jesse Palmer (House of Beautiful Business) and Dr. Caitlin Morrissey (The DNA of Cities) discussed the growing importance of authentic identity, community engagement and storytelling in destination strategy.

Cities were encouraged to focus on people-first approaches, ensuring that tourism contributes to cultural preservation and community well-being rather than over-commercialisation.

Technology and data with accountability

Digital transformation was a key theme, with practical discussions on AI adoption, data ethics and digital tourism strategies. Presentations included:

• Teejit on AI-enabled productivity tools for DMOs
• Sojern on targeted data-driven destination marketing
• City Travel Report 2024–2025 insights by Modul University Vienna, showing strong urban tourism recovery but rising carbon emissions

Speakers stressed that innovation must be transparent and responsible, maintaining public trust and alignment with sustainability goals.

Regenerative tourism and inclusion

Panels led by Visit Gdańsk, London & Partners, Madrid Destino and Visit Faroe Islands examined inclusive tourism models and residents’ role in destination strategies. Others, including Simpleview and City of Helsinki, showcased how co-creation and data can support regenerative tourism.

Climate risk and destination resilience were also addressed through scenario planning workshops with ETFI and City of Antwerp, helping DMOs prepare for multiple possible futures.

The programme included community-led activities in the Faroe Islands, such as a beach clean-up with NGO Rudda Føroyar and a guided cultural hike to Kirkjubøur. Walkshops integrated learning with place-based experiences, while the networking programme showcased local culture, including a live performance by Faroese musician Marius Ziska.

The CityDNA Autumn Conference reinforced the alliance’s role as a platform for innovation and cooperation among European cities. The upcoming Tórshavn Declaration, to be released later this year, is expected to influence future destination strategies and strengthen collaboration across the continent’s urban visitor economies.

The article European city tourism leaders chart new direction for visitor economy at CityDNA 2025 Autumn Conference first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.

The post European city tourism leaders chart new direction for visitor economy at CityDNA 2025 Autumn Conference appeared first on Travel Daily News