At its heart, this is about leadership. Destination organizations must be champions of community well-being, trusted stewards of place and bold advocates for the policies, partnerships and investments that secure a resilient future. At the same time, destination organizations cannot be the only ones setting the bar. Communities, partners and governments must co-own what success looks like and support the resources and policies needed to achieve it.
This shift in roles and success measures has three key implications for the future of the destination organizations, all directly related to advocacy:
1
Governance and stakeholder alignment are more critical than ever. 2
3
Organizational models must evolve.
The definition of success must be shared.
New capabilities require new structures. Whether through team restructuring, upskilling, or cross- functional integration, destination organizations must be designed for agility, complexity, and collaboration.
As roles expand, so must clarity. Boards, funders, and community partners need to understand what the organization does—and why. Strong governance models and transparent reporting will help build credibility and trust.
Destination organizations cannot be the only ones setting the bar. Communities, partners, and governments must co- own what success looks like and support the resources and policies needed to achieve it.
To secure sustainable investment so that destination organizations can continue to lead and support community vitality, destination organizations and their leaders must evolve from passive recipients of funding to assertive advocates for the value they create. This begins with strengthening relationships with government stakeholders and positioning tourism as a community shared value: an industry that delivers returns in jobs, tax revenue, small business growth and community well-being.
2025 DESTINATIONS INTERNATIONAL DESTINATIONNEXT FUTURES STUDY • 3 DEEP DIVE: THE ADVOCACY LEADERSHIP IMPERATIVE
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