TOURISM TAXONOMIES

Group NAO is inviting cities, destination management organisations and tourism authorities across Europe to join a pioneering 12–15-month collaboration on tourism funding and reinvestment. Tourism Taxonomies is a collaborative exploration and policy lab on visitor contributions, fees, and reinvestment models that currently shape the tourism economy and ecosystems in Europe's cities - and that potentially can become the key to creating new value for urban communities.

This is not an ivory-tower research project. It is a live strategic forum for policymakers, decision-makers and destination leaders who want strategic inspiration, hard data, concrete solutions and a strong European network to back it all up.

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What is in the box?

Tourism Taxonomies follows the money and learns from best-in-class examples. We will combine new hard data on the regulatory taxation landscape and collection across European cities with best-practice studies, surveys and in-depth research. All will be shared and debated in partner sessions. Over 12–15 months, we will:

• Map and analyse visitor contributions, fees and tourism levies across a minimum of 30 European urban destinations - the first study of its kind at this scale.

• Collect and structure hard empirical data on revenue and allocation models in partnership with data partner Trippz, which offers comprehensive data and facilitates much of Europe’s tourism tax compliance.

• Facilitate five strategic workshops for destination leaders and policymakers on what works in tourism funding - and what doesn’t.

• Examine regenerative financing models and explore how innovative approaches can help solve some of tourism's most complex challenges: seasonal distribution, housing pressures, and strain on local infrastructure and resources.

• Explore international alternatives, including Tourism Improvement Districts (TIDs), which in more than 220 US destinations have established voluntary, industry-governed funding models.

• Publish a white paper with findings and recommendations in early 2027 - freely available to all via a mini-website with resources and results from the programme for ongoing public use.

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The overarching question is both simple and ambitious: What if the new "mother KPI" for tourism cities is not growing arrivals or overnights - but instead metrics of how much tourism contributes to community, culture, sustainability and nature every single year?

Of course, maximising tourism tax revenue is not a goal in itself. Neither is de-growth. But there is something genuinely ground-breaking in the idea that tourism can finance social innovation, cultural heritage and green transition - if we design the right models.

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What’s in it for you?

When you join Tourism Taxonomies as a city department or DMO, you are not a sponsor. You are a participant in a policy and ongoing research lab.

You will get:

• Direct access to new, hard data on tourism tax models and funding strategies across Europe

• A seat at the table in a strategic network of like-minded destinations, academics, and advisors

• Concrete learning and inspiration from European and international frontrunners in tourism funding

• Participation in workshops and sessions designed to turn insight into action

• Co-ownership of the results - data, white paper, and resources you can use directly in your own strategic work

As a destination partner, you are expected to contribute data and learnings from your city and share them with fellow participants in online sessions and seminars. This is a collaboration — not a conference.

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Who is involved?

Tourism Taxonomies is initiated and facilitated by Group NAO (DK) and delivered in partnership with a strong international consortium:

• Trippz - lead global data provider of tourism tax and compliance

• European Tourism Futures Institute, NHL Stenden University (NL) - academic research partner

• Miles Partnership & Civitas (USA) - research partners with deep expertise in North American funding models

• Eurocities - advisory partner on behalf of Europe’s cities and municipal governments

• European Tour Operators Association (ETOA) - advisory partner

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Want to know more or ready to join?

We would love to hear from you - whether you are ready to sign up now or would like to know more before deciding.

Ready to join? Register your organisation

Still deciding? Download the full programme proposal below

Questions? Contact Peter Rømer Hansen, Partner & CSO, Group NAO: peter@groupnao.com

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