The topic examined how destination governance can be strengthened through collaboration, shared competences, and inclusive decision‑making processes. Drawing on the monthly article “Change Drivers: Stakeholders, Competence, and Decision‑Making in Destination Governance”, the webinar “Better together: Improving tourism through a collaborative approach to effective governance”, and the online discussion “Collaborative governance of destinations” in April 2025, the focus was on identifying governance gaps, clarifying roles and responsibilities, and exploring practical approaches to cooperation across governance levels. 

Key themes included:

• The shift from fragmented and sector‑specific governance towards integrated, destination‑wide governance models
• The roles, competences, and power dynamics of key stakeholders in destination decision‑making 
• The importance of political leadership, stakeholder engagement, and community participation in shaping destination strategies

The initiatives showcased illustrate how European destinations are applying collaborative governance approaches, including: 

• Sustainable Tourism Observatory, Vienna Tourist Board: monitoring tourism impacts and resident sentiment through indicators and data analysis to support evidence‑based decision‑making and collaborative destination governance.
• Dublin City Digital Portal, Dublin City Council: providing a shared digital entry point to centralise information and support coordination among city authorities, destination managers, and tourism stakeholders.
• Resident Card Scheme, Gdańsk Tourism Organisation: connecting residents, businesses, and tourism benefits through a data‑enabled city card.
• Flourishing Flanders Strategy, Visit Flanders: embedding resident wellbeing at the heart of tourism policy by aligning governance, long‑term collaboration, and measurement frameworks with quality‑of‑life objectives.
• Regional Tourism Strategy, Attica Region: co‑creating a broader tourism portfolio through public consultation and cross‑sector cooperation.
• Sustainable Tourism Partnership, EU Urban Initiative: supporting cities in strengthening destination governance through political leadership and long‑term coordination.
• Capitals of Smart Tourism – Best Practices Compilations, European Commission: showcasing city‑level governance and community‑engagement practices in tourism.
• Tourism Governance Framework, OECD: providing guidance on clarifying roles and coordination among stakeholders in complex tourism systems.

Stakeholder stories highlight a clear shift towards more collaborative and integrated governance models in tourism.

Key conclusions and emerging trends include:

• Fragmented decision‑making remains a core challenge, with unclear roles and overlapping competences limiting effective destination management in many destinations.
• Collaborative governance models are increasingly being adopted, bringing together public authorities, DMOs, businesses, and communities to better align tourism with housing, mobility, culture, and quality‑of‑life objectives.
• Community engagement is becoming central to destination governance, with destinations placing greater emphasis on resident participation, transparency, and social acceptance of tourism policies.
• Political leadership and long‑term commitment are critical enablers, ensuring that governance reforms and shared visions are sustained beyond electoral cycles and short‑term pressures.
• Data, monitoring tools, and tourism observatories are gaining importance, supporting evidence‑based decision‑making, impact assessment, and prioritisation of actions.
• Peer learning and multi‑level coordination are strengthening governance capacity, supported by EU platforms, networks, and policy frameworks that facilitate knowledge exchange and the uptake of good practices.