Learn how to manage destinations through regenerative business models, destination stewardship approaches, and stakeholder engagement methodologies.
We are all under pressure: visitor economies, their host communities, the earth, and the vulnerable. We need a new approach that considers how interconnected networks - social, environmental, and economic - can work together to restore, replenish, and sustain resources and communities.
Join us on a journey to a new mindset as we:
- Discover regenerative business models
- Explore effective destination stewardship
- Embrace stakeholders through slow learning with industry leaders
What will you learn at this course?
Comprehensive Understanding
Learn the key concepts of regenerative systems design, and explore how to use nature-based principles, biomimicry and systems thinking to develop destinations that thrive and flourish.
Strategic Opportunities
Expand your knowledge of sustainable and regenerative destination management approaches, methodologies, best practices and failures.
Practical Guidance
Apply the learning from the sessions (in teams) to enhance your destination's tourism and events strategy and catalyse long-term social, environmental and economic impact.
What is this course about?
In this course, you will be taken on a 3-month journey to explore and develop a new mindset leveraging the latest in regenerative systems thinking.
You will investigate and learn about new regenerative business models, destination stewardship approaches and stakeholder engagement methodologies that enable DMOs to catalyse investment, generate jobs, develop knowledge, equitably distribute prosperity, and deliver unforgettable visitor experiences.
You will learn from destination leaders, experts and each other, to gain new perspectives on what it entails to create, market and steward future fit destinations.
Who is this online course for?
Tourism and DMO professionals who would like to learn an innovative approach towards destination management.
Start date: 06 March 2025
Project preparation time: 15 May - 01 June 2025
Graduation: 05 June 2025
Allow 1 hour for pre-Module activities and another hour for homework after each Module. The final project will take about 8 hours.
*Express your interest by sending us an email, and we will provide you with information on payment modalities.
**We invite you to help us support students from low-income countries by donating and gifting 50 euros towards their education. Financially challenged right now, but want to learn? We offer a limited number of scholarships, please contact us HERE, explaining why you would love to learn with us and how you will benefit from our scholarship.
GDS-Movement, ICCA and CityDNA members have 200 euros discount. Contact us HERE to get your discount code.
Chief Executive Officer, GDS-Movement
Guy Bigwood
For the last 15 years, Guy has been delivering award-winning consulting services focused on helping cities, governments, corporations and associations step up, scale up and speed up their sustainability programmes and regenerative practices. Guy’s pioneering work has been recognised with 22 sustainability awards including the Events Industry Council Pacesetter Award, and recognition as a Fellow of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment.
Lead Storyteller, GDS-Movement
Betsy Reed
Betsy is a leadership coach, sustainability advisor, teacher, author and storyteller. Over the course of her 20-year career, Betsy has worked on five continents and in most sectors, including communications and public affairs, on campaign and behaviour change with governments, NGOs, academic institutions and businesses. Past roles include leading Nestle UK’s public affairs sustainability programme, serving as Head of Campaigns for Zero Waste Scotland, and working as Director of Grayling's sustainability unit. She currently serves as Head Tutor at the Cambridge University Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL).
Founding Partner & CCO, Group NAO
Peter Rømer Hansen
Peter Rømer Hansen is founding partner in innovation and strategy agency Group NAO. NAO works with strategic transformation and innovation within the experience and visitor economy. Projects include The Tourism Co-Operative with South Coast Demark and Tourism Taxes by Design as a multi-client project.
Peter has been a key figure in developing destinations and tourism co-operation across Europe. As Executive Vice President of Wonderful Copenhagen, Peter played a lead role in building a strategic and analytical DMO, taking tourism to new levels with Big Tourism and innovation strategies.
Relationship Manager (UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria) & Destination Climate Action Expert, GDS-Movement
Janie Neumann
Janie has over 20 years' experience in the tourism industry, working to support the delivery of responsible practices that benefit and build resilient businesses, provide enriching quality experiences for visitors, enhance the communities tourism operates in, and protect the natural and cultural heritage it depends on.
CEO, #Meet4Impact
Geneviève Leclerc
Geneviève has over 25 years of global experience in congress management and strategic consultancy for associations and destinations. She works as a content curator, facilitator, speaker and trainer with the association meetings and business tourism industry and is specialized in sustainability and social impact practices. Geneviève is passionate about applying design thinking practices to accompany organizations through innovation. She has founded her current organization, #MEET4IMPACT, in 2019 with the vision of transforming the business tourism industry by generating a movement to create positive societal impact with its actors and their events.
CEO & Founding Partner, Group NAO
Signe Jungersted
Signe Jungersted is CEO and partner in innovation and strategy agency Group NAO. NAO works with strategic transformation and innovation within the experience and visitor economy. Projects include 101sustainableideas.com with Gothenburg and Power of Community with European Cities Marketing.
Signe is formerly Development Director with Wonderful Copenhagen (DMO), where she was lead responsible and author of the 2020-strategy that declared ”The End of Tourism” and welcomed a new era of people-centric tourism development and localhood.
Regenerative Tourism Consultant, Spain & Portugal, GDS-Movement
Mònica Molina
After 22 years in tourism she is still as passionate about this industry as the first day. Mònica holds a PhD in Geography with a specialisation in accessible and sustainable tourism. A professional with a hybrid profile, she divides her working days between her sessions as a lecturer-researcher at the Faculty of Tourism of several universities and professional training sessions both for tourism technicians of public administrations and private companies. She is a keynote speaker at congresses for the tourism sector.
Relationship Manager, Nordic Region, GDS-Movement
Inge Krogh Larsen
With 25 years’ collective professional experience in travel and tourism, senior sustainability consultant, Inge Krogh Larsen, is on a mission to help destinations, CVBs, SMEs, and the meetings and events industry develop strategies and understand the need for positive change.
She fuels her mission with wisdom acquired by working in Danish business and leisure tourism for 11 years. During her time with VisitAalborg and Inspiring Denmark she naturally migrated towards sustainability. This journey was further nurtured by her employers’ participation in the GDS-Index. With a renewed and enlivened career focus on people and planet, Inge went freelance.
Director of GDS-Events and GDS-Academy, GDS-Movement
Milda Salciute
Changemaker Milda has more than 10 years' experience helping meetings and events to be more sustainable.
She has managed the social, economic, and environmental impacts of in-person, digital, and hybrid events.
She consults to event clients on behalf of GDS-Movement, helping associations initiate and develop the vision, actions, measurement, and evolution of their event's sustainability strategy, impact, and communications.
Guest Speakers
Over 20 guest speakers from destination management organisations around the world!
Modules scheduled at 8:30 - 11:00 am CET
Click HERE to check how it works with your time zone.
| Module 1 - Thursday, 06 March, 2025 |
An Introduction to the Regenerative Revolution |
| Module 2 - Thursday, 13 March, 2025 |
Building Capacity: Tactical approaches to accelerating transformation |
| Module 3 - Thursday, 20 March, 2025 |
Demystifying the Climate Jargon: Practical Destination Approaches for Climate Action |
| Module 4 - Thursday, 27 March, 2025 |
Visitor Economy Management: Balancing Growth and Regenerative Strategies |
| Module 5 - Thursday, 03 April, 2025 |
DMOcracy: Stakeholder engagement, co-creation and governance |
| Module 6 - Thursday, 10 April, 2025 |
The DEI Journey - Social Sustainability in Tourism |
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Module 7 - Thursday, 17 April, 2025 |
Storytelling and Communication Strategies for Regeneration |
|
Module 8 - Thursday, 24 April, 2025 |
Impact Strategy: Enabling, measuring and reporting on social and environmental transformation |
|
Module 9 - Thursday, 08 May, 2025 |
Funding for Tomorrow: Developing Regenerative Tax Systems |
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Module 10 - Thursday, 15 May, 2025 |
From theory to practice: Strategising and purposing the DMO |
Thursday, 05 June, 2025 |
Graduation |
What our students say
'Enlightening and Catalysing'
It gave me the opportunity to develop something completely new and not to lean on our previous practices.
'A real eye opener'
After seven training sessions, I am amazed by the content presented, and the variety of professional speakers and practical examples. The course is structured with a common thread so that I am already well prepared to put it into practice; I will definitely bring the course content into my work and use it to exchange ideas with colleagues. Last, but not least, forming a network with the other students adds enormous value for me.
'One of the best decisions this year'
The knowledge I gained will enrich my professional and personal life.
'Highly recommended'
This course provides access to the brightest and most driven minds in our field, and I am grateful to now count the sustainability leaders at DMOs around the world not only as peers, but as friends.
'I look forward to applying the insights'
You get to know regenerative destination management from all its facets. The many international examples and testimonials make it very practical.
'It’s a great place to build network'
I wholeheartedly recommend this course from Global Destination Sustainability Movement (GDS-Movement). It's a transformative journey, diving into sustainability, regenerative principles and ways tourism can be a changemaker and a force for good. It’s a great programme, with a variety of interesting themes, very knowledgeable faculty, and inspiring guest speakers. And it’s a great place to build a network with other DMOs around the world.
'Brilliant up to date global resources'
I was fortunate to take the GDS Regenerative Events course in April 2023; the learnings and teaching style inspired my desire for more regenerative knowledge. I didn’t hesitate to sign up for the Regenerative Destination Management course because it had everything I was looking for: regularly scheduled classes, a fantastic line-up of faculty, many of whom I’ve admired from afar but never thought I’d meet let alone get small group tuition from, brilliant up to date global resources and case studies every week and the amazing atmosphere of learning alongside fellow international tourism industry peers. I highly recommend this course to take your education to the next level.