The CityDNA CEO Meeting 2026 opened a critical discussion for Europe’s visitor economy. On February 9-10, 49 city destination leaders gathered in Barcelona, a city emblematic of both the potential and the pressures of urban tourism. Hosting the event here was intentional. Few cities have navigated political, social, and structural pressures as visibly as Barcelona.
At this moment, European DMOs (Destination Management Organisations) are no longer simply marketing engines. Their role has evolved into strategic stewardship, moving from promotional functions to long-term city leadership.
From Promotion to Stewardship in City Management
Over the last decade, European DMOs have shifted from outward promotion to inward governance. This evolution is operational, not theoretical.
DMOs today act as neutral convenors in the city ecosystem. Their responsibilities include:
- Aligning public and private stakeholders
- Facilitating communication between institutions and communities
- Anchoring long-term strategies beyond political cycles
Destination leadership is now measured by the ability to safeguard a city’s long-term prosperity, not by campaign visibility. Urban strategist Greg Clark (author of The DNA of Cities) highlighted that European cities have a unique “DNA” rooted in governance, cultural capital, and social trust. Preserving this DNA while managing complex urban flows defines modern visitor economy leadership.
Workshop sessions at the meeting confirmed a central truth: tourism must operate within the city’s social contract.
Key structural tensions include:
- Visitor needs versus resident needs
- Economic value versus perceived public value
- Service for visitors versus service for residents
- Traditional DMO models versus wider city functions
These tensions are realities to manage transparently. The question is no longer how to grow tourism, but how to ensure tourism strengthens the city it serves. Without resident trust, a city’s competitiveness declines. Without legitimacy, its reputation cannot endure.
From Declaration to Delivery
Barcelona’s discussions drew on the CityDNA Tórshavn Declaration, a framework guiding global visitor economy governance. This Declaration translates shared priorities in politics, economics, society, and technology into actionable steps for 2026, including:
- Value-based measurement and transparent taxation
- Ethical use of AI in tourism management
- Cross-sector collaboration and community alignment
The combination of Tórshavn and Barcelona signals a clear message: European cities are not retreating from tourism. They are reshaping it, linking competitiveness with resilience, innovation with responsibility, and growth with trust.
Following Barcelona, CityDNA is consolidating key insights and leadership priorities from the CEO Meeting. These insights guide the Alliance’s 2026 work programme and align with the Tórshavn Declaration.
CityDNA’s priorities include:
- Developing practical tools for DMOs
- Creating shared frameworks for evidence-based decision-making
- Amplifying city-level intelligence at the European level
This approach strengthens CityDNA as a platform for peer learning and as a credible partner for EU institutions, ensuring city destinations influence tourism policy and implementation.
A Stronger European Role for DMOs
As the EU implements its Tourism Strategy and Transition Pathway, DMOs are increasingly strategic partners, not just implementers. European cities deliver EU priorities locally, including:
- Sustainable mobility and infrastructure
- Climate action translated into visitor flow management
- Digital policy intersecting with AI deployment and data governance
- Measuring competitiveness through local economic resilience
DMOs connect policy, economy, and community, turning EU objectives into operational frameworks and feeding city-level insights back to policymakers. Barcelona reinforced that European DMOs must shape the EU tourism agenda, ensuring governance models, funding, and measurement reflect real city conditions.
Barbara Jamison-Woods, President of City Destinations Alliance, stated:
“European cities are not stepping back from tourism, they are stepping up to lead it differently. The future of the visitor economy depends on trust, transparency, and integration with the urban agenda. DMOs are uniquely placed to bridge European ambition with local delivery. Barcelona demonstrated that destination leadership today is about stewardship: protecting the city’s social contract while ensuring tourism remains a force for long-term resilience and prosperity.”
European cities are poised to lead a new chapter of tourism that balances innovation, responsibility, and community trust.
