Visitor economy of the people, by the people, for the people.

Time for DMOcracy is a global initiative launched by Group NAO to reimagine how destinations engage with their communities in shaping tourism’s future. Designed and led by Group NAO in Europe, and facilitated by Miles Partnership in North America, the project brought together 42 pioneering destinations – cities, regions, and nations – across two continents. Working alongside expert partners including the Global Destination Sustainability Movement, City Destinations Alliance, The Travel Foundation, TCI Research, and University of Surrey, the initiative set out to confront the growing disconnect between tourism’s promise and its lived impact on local communities.

The project unfolded through a layered, participatory research process: transatlantic surveys, destination interviews, six themed Learning Labs, and an intensive Bootcamp in Copenhagen. At its heart was a strategic ambition to shift tourism from being seen as an end in itself to a means for collective well-being. The resulting white paper and accompanying toolkits chart a practical path forward, introducing eight participatory approaches to DMOcracy – from citizen science to participatory budgeting – and a new governance compass that frames the fluid roles of the DMO in today’s complex visitor economies. As both a framework and a movement, Time for DMOcracy inspires destinations to become not just promoters of tourism, but co-creators of place, mediators of community interest, and stewards of a more democratic visitor economy.