At “Advocacy & Action” Event, Destinations International Equips Destination Professionals with Tools to Navigate Change 

Inaugural gathering in Canada's capital addresses political and economic challenges and introduces new advocacy resources

POTOMAC FALLS, Va. (October 29, 2026) – Destinations International (DI), the world's leading membership association for destination organizations, concluded its Advocacy & Action: The Destination Impact Event, held October 20–22, in Ottawa, Canada. The event brought together nearly 200 destination professionals, industry experts and policymakers from across North America, Europe and Asia to explore practical strategies for navigating an increasingly complex political, economic and social environment.

The event combined DI's former Advocacy Summit and Thrive Summit into a single gathering focused on strengthening destination advocacy, organizational resilience and community impact. It was preceded by courses offered through DI's Certified Destination Management Executive (CDME) program, providing destination professionals with additional opportunities to strengthen their strategic management skills and professional expertise.

Convening in Canada's capital provided a particularly meaningful setting as the global travel and tourism industry confronts economic uncertainty, geopolitical tensions, evolving trade relationships, changing government policies and growing pressure on public resources. These challenges underscore the importance of effective advocacy, collaboration and a clear understanding of tourism's contribution to economic development, employment and community well-being.

Prime Minister Mark Carney sent an official note of greeting and thanked DI for hosting the event, noting its “commitment to promoting and facilitating international collaboration in the tourism sector.”  

"At a time when political and economic developments are creating significant uncertainty for destinations around the world, there could not have been a more appropriate place for this conversation than Ottawa," said Don Welsh, president & CEO of Destinations International. "Destination organizations are navigating challenges that extend well beyond traditional tourism promotion. They must be effective advocates, trusted community partners and resilient organizations capable of demonstrating their value. Advocacy & Action was designed to provide the insights, relationships and practical tools to help them succeed."

The opening plenary, Tourism Beyond Borders: Navigating Politics, Policy and Purpose, organized by Ottawa Tourism and the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO) at the National Gallery of Canada set the tone for the event with a timely examination of tourism's role as an economic driver, diplomatic connector and cultural bridge amid geopolitical tensions, shifting trade relationships and political polarization. Moderated by Ryan McDonald, editor, Politics and Economy, The Globe and Mail, the panel featured Victoria Clarke, CDME, CEO, Visit Mississauga; Gordon Orr, CEO, Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island; Isabel Hill, advisor and former director, U.S. National Travel and Tourism Office; Shin Osuka, director, Japan Travel and Tourism Association; and Adam Burke, president & CEO, Los Angeles Tourism.

Drawing on her experience working across four U.S. administrations, Hill offered insights into tourism's role in navigating geopolitical change and strengthening international relationships. With perspectives from Canada, the United States and Japan, the session underscored tourism's unique ability to transcend political differences, foster mutual understanding and contribute to economic resilience and shared prosperity.

New Resources Support Advocacy and Resilience

A central highlight of the event was the introduction of new resources designed to help destination organizations anticipate emerging challenges, strengthen their advocacy and communicate more effectively with policymakers, stakeholders and residents. These include:

Advocacy & Action Messaging Guide
DI’s new Advocacy & Action Messaging Guide provides destination organizations with practical guidance for communicating the value of tourism and the essential role they play in their communities.

Designed to support conversations with elected officials, government agencies, business partners and residents, the guide helps destination professionals connect tourism to broader public priorities, including economic opportunity, employment, quality of life and community development.

It reinforces the importance of consistent, credible and audience-specific messaging, helping destination organizations move beyond traditional visitor metrics to communicate their wider contributions and build sustained stakeholder support.

Weathering the 2026-27 El Niño Cycle Industry Brief
This new paper examines the implications of El Niño-related climate patterns and associated environmental and economic disruptions for destinations and the broader visitor economy across North America. It emphasizes the importance of preparedness, risk assessment, collaboration and long-term resilience as destination organizations confront climate-related uncertainty.

The resource encourages destination professionals to consider how environmental disruptions may affect tourism infrastructure, visitor experiences, local businesses and community well-being, and how proactive planning can help mitigate potential impacts.

Together, the resources reflect DI's commitment to translating research, advocacy and professional expertise into actionable tools that strengthen destination organizations worldwide. Additional information and resources are available through DI's Advocacy & Action initiative.

Bringing Policy, Advocacy and Community Impact Together

Throughout the three-day event, participants explored the intersection of government policy, economic conditions, destination funding, community engagement and organizational resilience.

The session Tourism Is Trade: Lessons from Canada for Destinations Everywhere explored the importance of positioning tourism as a vital export industry that generates economic growth, supports jobs and businesses, advances Indigenous economic development and strengthens national competitiveness. Moderated by Michael Crockatt, president & CEO, Ottawa Tourism, the discussion featured Adrienne Foster, chief, Advocacy and Public Affairs, Hotels Canada; Sébastien Benedict, president & CEO, Tourism Industry Association of Canada; and Bradley Sutherland, director, Business Development, Air Canada, and chair of the board, Meetings Means Business Canada. Using Canada as a case study, panelists examined how destination organizations can connect tourism to broader government priorities, including trade, investment, infrastructure, workforce development and reconciliation.

The gathering underscored the need for destination organizations to anticipate change, strengthen relationships with policymakers and develop compelling narratives that connect their work to the priorities of the communities they serve.

Professional Development Strengthens Destination Leadership

The CDME courses preceding Advocacy & Action complemented the event's focus on equipping destination professionals with the knowledge and skills required to navigate an increasingly challenging operating environment.

DI's CDME program is the tourism industry's highest individual educational achievement and is designed to prepare destination professionals to meet the evolving demands of destination management and organizational leadership.

Together, the educational programming and Advocacy & Action sessions reinforced the importance of continuous learning, professional development and peer collaboration in building stronger, more resilient destination organizations.

Recognizing the Host Destination and Industry Partners

The destination host for the Advocacy & Action Event delivered an outstanding week for participants due to the strong support from Michael Crockatt, president & CEO, and the team at Ottawa Tourism. Others collaborating to make the event a success included 
Sébastien Benedict, president & CEO, Tourism Industry Association of Canada, and Andrew Siegward, president & CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario.

"Ottawa provided an exceptional backdrop for important conversations about the future of our industry," Sophia Hyder Hock, chief impact officer for Destinations International. "We are grateful to Michael Crockatt and the Ottawa Tourism team for their outstanding hospitality, and to the many speakers, partners and destination professionals who shared their knowledge and experience, as well as to the Tourism Industry Association of Canada, Tourism Industry Association of Ontario and Hotels Canada. Their contributions reinforced the importance and power of bringing our global community together to address common challenges and identify practical solutions."

A special highlight was the Destinations International Foundation Circle Dinner at the stunning National Arts Centre that brought together an exceptional group of destinations and partners who generously invest $25,000 or more annually in the foundation's Annual Investment Campaign. Through their significant investments, members of the Foundation Circle play a vital role in advancing the Foundation's mission and creating meaningful, lasting impact across our industry.

For additional information about this year’s Advocacy & Action Event as well as Destinations International's advocacy initiatives and resources, visit www.destinationsinternational.org.