Home NEWS European Cities Marketing to launch the first Manifest on DMOs’ future

European Cities Marketing to launch the first Manifest on DMOs’ future

The report will look at the daily change and disruption occurring in European tourism; it sets out a vision on how Destination Marketing Organisations (DMOs) can empower to take on a leading role in city marketing and management. This first ECM Manifest has been produced in partnership with TOPOSOPHY and will be launched during forthcoming ECM International Conference in Dubrovnik, May 31 – June 3, 2017.

After turbulence caused by terrorism, political shocks and major shifts in consumer travel behaviour, Marketing professionals attending this year’s European Cities Marketing (ECM) International Conference from across Europe and overseas will have one thing on their minds: disruption has become the new normal.

As most destination marketing organisations are still operated along traditional lines under the direction of local government, reacting rapidly to support tourism partners through these changes can be highly challenging.

The ECM International Conference will be held from May 31-June 3, 2017 in Dubrovnik, Croatia. It will bring together Europe’s city marketers and tourism professionals with industry thought leaders and leading tourism academics from around the globe to debate and navigate the new normal in urban travel and tourism.

European Cities Marketing

Manolis Psarros, CEO of Toposophy

“At last year’s Conference, TOPOSOPHY presented a landmark report for city marketers in Europe on the Sharing Economy. This year’s report focuses on the Future of DMOs. It gives a real vision of how they should re-organise their activities internally and externally, and emerge with a strengthened role in order to face the future with confidence”, said Manolis Psarros, CEO of Toposophy.

Commenting on this vision, ECM President Ignasi de Delàs added: “Throughout Europe, DMOs are facing similar demands to re-think what they do. Budget cuts, political pressure and shifts in consumer behaviour mean that it’s time for DMOs to find a new, strengthened role in attracting all types of talent, ideas and investment for their cities, regions and nations. ECM is already playing a strong role in supporting cities when disturbance is the only constant in urban travel. As practitioners, we want to share our vision with the tourism and meetings industry and this report is the perfect example of our work.”

This vision will be visible through a new paper titled The Future of DMOs: The ECM Manifest which will be presented in the opening session of the ECM International Conference, and distributed online from the start of the event.

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