If anything, the pandemic has shown that there is need to reconnect travel and tourism to the needs and wishes of local habitats, but also to the big global agendas where tourism holds potential to make a positive difference.
After almost 3 years without an in-person conference, European Cities Marketing (ECM) members will finally reunite on March 30-April 2, 2022 in Hamburg for ECM International Conference & General Assembly.
In those dark times, ECM is strongly condemning unilateral attacks to Ukraine and recently decided to suspend membership from Russian cities to ECM until further notice.
ECM is highly determined to keep its community strong and united, as destinations, as professionals, as friends and colleagues throughout its cities and nations, all over the European continent.
If anything, the pandemic has shown that there is need to reconnect travel and tourism to the needs and wishes of local habitats, but also to the big global agendas where tourism holds potential to make a positive difference. There is a broader horizon for Destination Management Organisations than that of travel and tourism in itself. The reason to be for DMOs is not just to grow tourism, but to do so with purpose, people and planet.
The first day of Re-United Destinations will be a special moment of coming together once again to create and shape the new narratives of urban tourism and city destinations. Attendees will learn how branding and communication can create global movement, and how destination campaigns can protest censorship and reunite Europe. They will get inspiration from a hotel, where you do good in your sleep. They will see as we reimagine the career appeal of the tourism sector – a people business short on people, and help explore the changes of community impact and involvement accelerated by the pandemic. Finally, they will dive into collective judgment, as we put sustainability on trial and explore the new ecosystems of events and their legacies.
On the second day of the ECM International Conference, attendees will dive into the ECM Trend Room discussion on how cities can adapt to continuously be healthy places to both live and visit. They will then join Digital Destinations to seek out the potential of digital and new technologies for better destination management, stronger local connection and social DNA. Attendees will also have the opportunity to discover the invisible treasures of local experiences and everyday life in their city – and how to make them visible without compromising their immaterial quality. Finally, they will explore their potential for regenerative leadership and set their course as destination leaders towards a future, where the visitor economy serves an important role in developing holistic solutions for thriving and inclusive cities.
“During ECM conference in Hamburg, more than 170 members will meet and work for a full 3-day event as it is time to create new narratives, new partnerships and a new trajectory for urban tourism. We will focus on answering the big questions that are how tourism can help fix the world, and how we as DMOs can be catalysts for change. The recent attacks to Ukraine, that we strongly condemn, will be highly tackled and we will, together as a community, keep on supporting our Ukrainian friends and colleagues by giving them a voice at the conference. In parallel, we just launched a collaborative dashboard where everyone can share some of the initiatives taken within the world of hospitality and tourism for Ukraine. By sharing, we create awareness and increase potential collective impact.” said Petra Stušek, ECM President.
“This ECM conference will also be the opportunity for us to launch our new brand and identity. Through a long process, we involved our members to redefine our brand values and identity. Our new identity will reflect our passion working with cities, with all their complex stakeholder dynamics and diverse experiential offerings. We are looking forward to co-developing and promoting the new brand all together with the members! Sharing inspiration, insights and speak with one voice will be key to pulling through this crisis – together.” concluded Petra Stušek, ECM President.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
