European cities are taking a fresh look at how they measure success in tourism. Tourism destinations are looking at the impact tourism has on local communities, economies, transport and the environment.
Over 160 representatives from European cities were brought together under the theme ‘Moving Together – Cities in motion. Destinations in alignment’. Key themes for the future were discussed, including the value to local communities, AI, transport, accessibility and climate resilience.
Growth Continues, but Unevenly
Using data from the 22nd edition of the City Travel Report (2025-2026), there was an average increase in tourist overnight stays for 141 European cities. This was an average of 4.1% for 2025 compared to 5.8% for the previous year. However, 107 of the 141 destinations saw an increase.
While there was a lower average increase in tourism, experts note that this does not necessarily mean a decline in urban tourism of European cities. There are often variations due to the availability of accommodation, guest origins and intentional decisions to control visitor pressure. On average, there was an increase in accommodation of 2.9%, but there was a decrease in bed occupancy of 1.3% (from 48.8% to 47.5%).
Looking at the EU-wide statistics from Eurostat, there was an increase in overnight stays in tourist accommodation of 2.2% for 2025. International tourists had a greater increase than domestic tourists. Combined, Spain, Italy, France and Germany accounted for over 61% of all EU overnight stays. While these are not directly comparable to the CityDNA data, they highlight that overall there is good demand. However, more consideration needs to be given to where and when tourists are travelling.
London still had the highest overnight stays of 82.35 million in 2025, followed by Paris (55.89m) and Istanbul (40.11m). Looking at the top 20 destinations, Istanbul had the largest increase of 26.8%, followed by Florence (11.1%) and Paris (9.8%). This is based on the methodology used and specific cities.
Measuring Success by Benefits for Residents
The key question to consider is what value there is to the local community? While increased turnover and employment are important, there isn’t much consideration for how the value is distributed or how it affects housing, public transport and shared spaces. Experts suggest urban tourism should be measured based on local goals and what real value it brings to the local community, businesses and environment. This can include measuring local satisfaction, how it affects individual areas throughout the year and how value is provided to local suppliers.
Different cities will have different challenges depending on their status as a tourist hotspot and whether they are a well-known destination or trying to attract tourists outside of peak times.
This is reflected at an EU level. On 28th May 2026, the Council of the EU adopted conclusions on how to create a more sustainable and competitive tourism sector. This highlighted the importance of local involvement. They encourage collaboration between public bodies, tourism organizations and businesses. They also emphasized the importance of balancing the economic benefits with social and environmental impacts. It also highlighted issues with over-concentration of tourists in popular areas and under-utilisation of other areas.
Artificial Intelligence Reshapes Destination Choice
Verona had a strong focus on Generative AI. Tools that provide recommendations and comparisons are changing how and when people choose where to visit. Tourism organizations now need to provide accurate, up to date and well structured information.
While AI can’t replace local knowledge, it is important to ensure the information is reliable. If the information is coming from an AI tool then it is important that the information is accurate.
Experts discussed four potential scenarios for the role of destination management organizations in the future. These are intended to stimulate thinking. The CityDNA MarCom Survey 2026 also highlighted that there will be a greater focus on building relationships with visitors, supporting local businesses, managing visitor flows and adapting to search tools powered by AI. The Council of the EU also highlighted the importance of improving data sharing, interoperability and guidelines for AI use. Overall, there is a shift in digital transformation becoming a key part of destination management.
Transport Links Shape Both Travel Decisions and City Life
The way a destination is travelled to can impact on whether a tourist chooses to visit. The availability of train lines, how often they run, the cost and ease of transfers can all impact one’s decision.
Once there, how easy it is to get to the accommodation, culture and other areas outside of the main tourist spots is also important. As local people use the same transport it is important to plan with them in mind.
The Council of the EU highlighted the importance of having reliable, accessible and sustainable transport throughout the year. Tourism competitiveness is linked to sustainable mobility.
Accessibility Goes Beyond Physical Barriers
There was a discussion around how accessible European cities really are. Experts highlighted that accessibility should be an overarching principle and not just meeting requirements. This can include ease of travelling, clear information, ease of navigation and good interactions.
Those with limited mobility, elderly individuals, families with children and those with different communication needs may face different barriers. Accessibility isn’t just about having ramps or adapted entrances but whether the travelers can plan and complete their journey.
Tourism Taxes: Revenue Alone Does Not Equal Public Benefit
A key focus was the CityDNA City Tax Project. An analysis of 53 cities showed there were large differences in how cities manage their tourist taxes, where the money goes and how the public is informed. It was interesting to see how the priorities stated in their tourism strategies didn’t always match where the money was going.
When talking about tourist taxes as a way to reduce pressure on public infrastructure and improve quality of life for locals, it isn’t enough to just collect the money. Rules, powers and budgets can vary greatly between countries and locally so it is important that decisions are made transparently.
CityDNA will continue to compare using the TourMIS system, qualitative research and a technical document. However, currently there doesn’t seem to be a consistent model for where the money from tourist taxes is going across Europe.
Climate Resilience: Measuring Emissions and Adapting Cities
European cities tourism and related climate change policies were closely linked to how cities are managed. The City Travel Report showed there was an increase in CO2 emissions from transport per tourist of 0.2%. However, 26 of the 72 cities with information available managed to reduce their emissions. This doesn’t take into account all sources of emissions from tourism and should be considered with the methodology of the report. However, there are variations between destinations meaning local solutions are needed to achieve common climate goals.
In addition, cities need to make their transport and tourism infrastructure more resilient to extreme weather. Jeremy Smith (co-founder of Tourism Declares a Climate Emergency) highlighted in his closing remarks that we need to make sure we are doing the right technical things but also making it clearer. Tourist experiences can help people understand and visualize a more resilient future.
The Council of the EU also highlighted the need to reduce the ecological footprint of tourism, make better use of resources and make infrastructure more resilient to climate risks. Overall, climate policies for cities need to go beyond just messaging and be linked to spatial, transport and service planning.
