ADVOCACY & RESEARCH
INDUSTRY BRIEF
A CATALYST FOR COMMUNITY VITALITY: Defining the 21 st Century Destination Organization
2025 – 2027 STRATEGIC ROADMAP
Destinations International is the collective voice of destination organizations, empowering destinations on issues big and small. We educate, equip and empower our members to advocate on behalf of their organizations and communities while providing the research, insights and resources needed to navigate change, demonstrate value and strengthen community impact. Through forward-looking research, advocacy initiatives and industry intelligence, DI helps destination leaders make informed decisions and shape the future of the visitor economy.
Defining the 21 st Century Destination Organization | 1
Destination Promotion: A Catalyst for Community Vitality Industry Brief Establishes a shared definition of the modern destination organization and its role in driving community vitality, economic growth and destination success.
Advocacy & Action Initiative Connects advocacy and community impact, providing destination leaders with resources and strategies to demonstrate tourism’s value and strengthen community support.
TheDestinationEffect.com A free advocacy platform designed to help destination organizations communicate tourism’s economic and community impact through research, storytelling, videos, infographics and ready-to-use resources.
Featured resources and initiatives include:
To explore the full suite of advocacy and research resources, visit Advocacy | Destinations International .
2025 DESTINATIONS INTERNATIONAL FUTURES STUDY
THE TOURISM LEXICON: 2025 United States Edition
DESTINATION REPUTATION: IMPACT ON THE TRAVELING CONSUMER’S CONSIDERATIONS KEY FINDINGS
share
learn
build
join
community
ADVOCACY ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
align / aligned / alignment
people
available
opportunity
family
develop / development
together
commitment
continue
work
future
resource
home
safe / safety
support
Directional Findings and Implications for Destination Organizations
business / businesses
proud
provide
local
help
Leading Through Transformation A Strategic Road Map for the NEXT Generation of Destination Organizations
New for 2025
Virtual Advocacy Days – Dedicated days of learning and engagement that equips destination professionals with advocacy strategies, policy insights and practical tools.
DestinationNEXT Futures Study Identifies the trends, forces and strategies shaping the future of destination organizations.
Destination Reputation Research Provides insights into how societal concerns, public sentiment and destination reputation influence travel and event decision-making.
Tourism Lexicons Research-backed messaging tools that help destination organizations communicate the value of tourism with residents, stakeholders and elected officials.
Destination Professionals Day – An annual global recognition initiative celebrating the contributions of destination professionals and raising awareness of the profession.
World Tourism Lexicon Day – An annual industry-wide activation promoting the power of language and shared messaging to strengthen tourism advocacy.
Indicates an initiative supported by the Destinations International Foundation.
12 DESTINATIONS INTERNATIONAL
13 2026 – 2027 MEMBERSHIP DESTINATION GUIDE
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