The trend room session on artificial intelligence at CityDNA Helsinki was short by conference standards, but it carried more weight than its format suggested. Organised as the first step in a wider CityDNA conversation that will continue with an online workshop in June and a white paper in the autumn, the panel brought together Joshua Ryan Saha from the University of Edinburgh's Futures Institute, Stefan Kapel from Austria Tourism, and Jonathan, co-founder of Give Me and the network's AI partner. The framing was deliberate. This was not a session about whether AI matters for destination management. That debate is closing. The more precise question raised in the room was what happens when the architecture of discovery itself starts to change, and when the destination website, long the central asset of most DMOs, ceases to be where the first conversation with the traveller takes place. The website is no longer the front door The data presented in the room was not dramatic in i...

This year I had the chance to join the Captains Cruise 2025 , which once again brought together an inspiring mix of industry leaders, market experts, and tourism innovators. Beyond the formal program, it was also the atmosphere onboard – a unique blend of serious discussions and casual encounters – that made the event a valuable place to take the pulse of our industry. AI and Sustainability – Still an Untapped Match One of the most memorable sessions was led by Nikki Pegos and Netta Paavoseppä, diving into the intersection of artificial intelligence and sustainability . It became clear that while most of us already use generative AI tools in our daily work, only a small fraction apply them systematically to sustainability planning. Netta stressed a point that resonated strongly with me: without clean data, AI simply accelerates greenwashing . At her resort in Finland, AI is already used for energy optimisation, deep research, and sustainability roadmaps. The advice was practical: ev...