Power of Community by City Destinations Alliance

How can DMOs ensure they are providing volunteers with purposeful tasks that go beyond simply directing visitors? How does the volunteers of VisitAarhus ReThinkers create cultural exchanges far beyond touristic sightseeing? What happens when volunteers and residents become the “face” of a destination? In this second instalment of WE*GENERATE: COMMUNITY, we speak with Ulla Svenningsen Lund, Head of Engagement and Volunteers for VisitAarhus. We look into how ReThinkers creates opportunities for volunteers and visitors for purposeful and rewarding interactions.

How can citizens organise from a place of love for their city? How can this be done without an “us and them” mentality between citizens and DMO? How can DMOs better collaborate with resident-led organisations? In this first instalment of WE*GENERATE: COMMUNITY, we speak with Gerry Proctor, chair of Engage Liverpool, which is a social enterprise run by residents existing to improve the quality of life for people living in Liverpool City Centre and Waterfront neighbourhoods. We look into how engaged resident organisations can bring about collective city action, and why DMOs must make sure to recognise residents as part of tourism offer.

How can DMOs do something instead of nothing when trying to create change in the cruise industry? Why is the issue of cruises not simply a “port” issue? What are some of the key challenges you often see between the port, DMO and locals? In the third and final part to the sequence WE*GENERATE: THE BEST WE CAN we speak to Tordis Biskopstø, Managing Director of Visit Torshavn and Gyða Guðmundsdóttir, Head of Community Engagement for the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO) to hear more about how DMOs can proactively work with the contentious topic of cruises.

How can the cruise industry work at the intersection between community engagement and environmental preservation? How can communities create visitor guidelines to communicate what they want from the cruise industry? In the second instalment of WE*GENERATE: THE BEST WE CAN, we speak with Gyða Guðmundsdóttir, Head of Community Engagement at the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO). We explore how community guidelines can be a powerful tool for shaping a cruise industry that aligns more with local interests whilst mitigating some of the societal and environmental impacts.

What’s the role of the DMO in developing tourism in a way that leaves a destination better than it was? How can the needs of visitors and locals be balanced, and are they equally important? How can DMOs proactively collaborate with the cruise industry to address the complex challenges it presents? In this first part to the sequence WE*GENERATE: THE BEST WE CAN we speak to Tordis Biskopstø, Managing Director of Visit Tórshavn about the Faroese capital’s determination for tourism to leave a place in a better condition than it was found.

What role does the DMO have in ensuring meaningful city interactions? How can cities engage with controversial and dark histories? Is art the answer? In the final part to the sequence, WE*GENERATE: Places, Xavier Theret from Le Voyage à Nantes, and Meghann Ormond from Wageningen University & Migrantour Utretcht both join this episode to discuss how art can be seen as a powerful tool for encounters, fostering connections and tolerance.

How can the diverse layers of place and heritage be represented in a destination? How can we redefine “localhood” to be more inclusive? How can tourism experiences be co-created through a participatory approach, involving diverse groups of people to represent a place? In part two of three in the sequence, WE*GENERATE: PLACES, we speak to Meghann Ormond, an associate professor in cultural geography at Wageningen University. Meghann talks about co-founding Migrantour Utrecht, which is an initiative that allows people with refugee and migration backgrounds to co-design and lead tours in order to share their experiences and perceptions of the places they live.

What do you do, when you have little and have to do something? …and when tourism doesn’t come natural to your city? In this episode, Xavier Theret, Head of International Promotion and Relations for Le Voyage à Nantes, discusses the transformation of Nantes from a sleepy shipyard town to a vibrant and creative destination. Xavier highlights the importance of public art in breathing life into the city streets for locals and visitors. Nantes continues to secure its spot on the map with unique cultural and tourism strategy integration, creative partnerships with local businesses, elephants and green lines…

This is the second CityDNA Vodcast, where Signe Jungersted, from Group NAO, interviews Stefan Hartman, Head of Department at the European Tourism Futures Institute (ETFI), part of NHL Stenden University. Stefan is also one of the key forces behind the new CELTH initiative: Agenda Conscious Destinations – a collaboration between NHL Stenden ETFI, Breda & HZ University of Applied Sciences.

Here are some resources if you want to read more on this initiative:

In March 2022, we reunited as destinations in Hamburg for the international conference of City Destinations Alliance – and Norbert Kettner, CEO of Vienna Tourist Board, announced from stage that “all great things start in cities”.

And now, starting in the city of Vienna, comes the United Cities of Tourism.

The campaign celebrates not only the reopening of borders – it also celebrates city tourism and the ‘European idea’. And, Vienna has invited other European city destinations to join – Barcelona, Milan, London, Berlin, Paris – because standing together, the cities are sending an even stronger message of unity and togetherness, even including a swap of their social media channels to promote each other.

Tune into this first #PowerofCommunity Vodcast to hear from Norbert Kettner, CEO of Vienna Tourist Board, why this message of unity and togetherness is important to him and his team, whether standing united also signifies a new era of less competition and more collaboration, and how Norbert looks towards a summer of welcoming back visitors to Vienna.

For more information about the Vienna campaign, here are some resources: