WORKING ON ECM MANIFEST: THE FUTURE OF DMOS

TOPOSOPHY to open the European Cities Marketing International Conference 2017 with its Manifesto on the ‘New Normal’ for Destinations in Times of Change

The Manifesto will look at the daily change and disruption occurring in European tourism, and set out a vision for how destination marketing organisations can become empowered to take on a leading role in city marketing and management.

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 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.

However this, year Toposophy, in its role as Official Research Partner of European Cities Marketing aims to help DMOs facing this dilemma with a clear vision of how they should re-organise their activities internally and externally, and emerge with a strengthened role in order face the future with confidence. This vision will be put across in a new paper titled The Future of DMOs: The ECM Manifest which will be presented in the opening session of the Conference, and distributed online from the start of the event.

Commenting on the company’s vision, Managing Director Manolis Psarros said “No matter which corner of Europe they’re in, destination marketing organisations across Europe 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. We are already playing a strong role in making that happen, and as practitioners, we want to share our vision with the ECM community.”

At last year’s International Conference, TOPOSOPHY presented a landmark report for city marketers in Europe called Taking the Leap on the Sharing Economy, a practical guide offering advice to DMOs on how to engage with P2P platforms and shape sharing activity in their cities to ensure that it offered benefits for all stakeholders.

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.

For more information and to receive your copy of the Manifest, please contact us at info@toposophy.com