Shall we talk about the things we never talk about?

The visitor economy is a fast-changing landscape. So why would we keep talking about it in the same old way? Over nearly a decade, Group NAO has worked in close partnership with City Destinations Alliance (formerly European Cities Marketing) to conceptualise, program, and moderate a series of international conferences in innovative formats like a living laboratory of ideas - part festival, part think tank, part family reunion.

How about confronting the tough realities in urban tourism? Group NAO led the concept, programme, and full delivery of the 2023 City Destinations Alliance International Conference in Sofia, designing the now-signature theme “The Elephant in the Room.” Framed around the uncomfortable truths facing urban tourism – from decarbonisation and workforce shifts to DMO relevance and overtourism narratives – the event invited 300+ industry leaders to name their elephants, challenge norms, and rethink collective responsibility. The conference also marked the official launch of CityDNA’s new strategic direction and introduced the VivaCity Challenge – a three-year initiative to bring regenerative urban tourism into practice.