Over 130 European city tourism leaders met in Tórshavn (capital of the Faroe Islands) for the City Destinations Alliance (CityDNA) Autumn Conference 2025, hosted by Visit Tórshavn from 30 September to 3 October. The event was themed Refreshed City Perspectives and focused on the future of urban visitor economies.
The conference launched work on the Tórshavn Declaration, a shared framework that will define the role of destination marketing and management organisations over the next 18 months. Workshops examined key priorities, including EU-level advocacy, funding, inclusion, AI integration and data ethics.
“The Tórshavn Declaration isn’t a finished text – it’s the start of a movement,” said CityDNA president Barbara Jamison-Woods. “Our members are co-authoring a shared vision for European cities that balances growth with care and innovation with integrity.”
Speakers emphasised the shift from destination marketing to visitor ecosystem management. Some of the key topics included accessibility, resident sentiment, data ethics and regenerative tourism.
Contributors included representatives from London & Partners, Madrid Destino, Visit Faroe Islands and Helsinki Partners. Case studies showed how collaboration and local engagement can strengthen trust and create more resilient destinations.
Research presented by Bozana Zekan of Modul University Vienna highlighted a period of “strategic stabilisation” for European city tourism, with strong demand and digital growth but rising carbon emissions.
CityDNA partners including Sojern, Simpleview, ETFI and Saint Elmo’s led discussions on AI, foresight planning and sustainability.
The event also featured local engagement activities with Faroese organisations, reflecting the host’s focus on community and environmental stewardship.
CityDNA will publish the final Tórshavn Declaration later this year and continue its programme with meetings in Vilnius, Graz, Barcelona and Helsinki through early 2026.
