Advocacy as a Governance Practice for Destination Organisations

Destinations International (DI), the global association representing DMOs and convention and visitors bureaux (CVBs), has placed governance and community value at the heart of its strategy. Its newly launched Advocacy and Action Initiative brings together three major research and policy documents outlining how destination organisations must evolve: the Advocacy and Action Strategic Roadmap, the 2025 DestinationNEXT Futures Study, and The Advocacy Leadership Imperative. Together, these resources provide a broader understanding of destination leadership and convey the clear message that effective advocacy requires credibility, skills, and long-term accountability.

HQ spoke with Sophia Hyder Hock (on the right), DI’s Chief Impact Officer, to explore how this shift can be implemented in practice, and what support destination organisations will require to deliver meaningful decisions and outcomes.

Bridging the Capacity Gap

Although the roadmap encourages DMOs and CVBs to play a strategic role in promoting community vitality, the latest DestinationNEXT Futures Study reveals that many still lack the internal capacity to provide effective advocacy. For Sophia, the first step is acknowledging this gap without judgement. “The 2025 Destinations International DNEXT Futures Study gives us a realistic picture of the industry’s current capacity, and we used that insight to shape a roadmap responding to actual needs rather than aspirational assumptions,” she said.

DI’s response is deliberately phased. The organisation is guiding members to become confident with foundational tools such as the Community Shared Value framework, the Community Vitality Wheel, the Social Impact Framework, Tourism Lexicon and recent sentiment research. These tools will be supported by a learning series, mentorship opportunities, templates and what she describes as a practical hotline for organisations that need rapid guidance. “In essence, we reconcile the gap by designing realistic, accessible and sequenced supports that meet destination organisations exactly where they are today,” she said.

As capacity increases, DI plans to introduce more advanced resources, including an interactive advocacy platform, a centralised communication hub and micro-learning pathways that reflect different stages of professional development. In her experience, the most effective accelerators are those that feel immediately actionable, particularly for teams that may be understaffed or operating under pressure. Practicality sits at the core of DI’s approach, paired with the reassurance that advocacy does not need to feel isolating inside an organisation.

Resident Trust and the Governance Mandate

Across all three DI documents, resident sentiment, belonging and community alignment have emerged as central measures of destination performance. Yet few destination organisations consistently track these indicators. Sophia sees this as a structural gap influenced by decades of investment in visitor-led metrics. “Measuring resident perception or trust requires different systems, different investments and a willingness to ask questions that may not yield flattering answers,” she said.

DI is addressing this by aligning the Social Impact Framework, the Community Vitality Wheel and sentiment studies so that members have adaptable tools for measurement and reporting. Importantly, accreditation standards are being updated to include resident-facing criteria, signalling that awareness, inclusion and community benefit are becoming core expectations of future-ready organisations.

Sophia argues that measurement becomes realistic only when leaders recognise that resident trust directly influences the stability of funding and workforce attractiveness. “When social impact is reframed as a core business strategy rather than a moral aspiration, investment in measurement becomes not only realistic, but inevitable,” she explained.

The governance implications are significant. Many organisations face internal barriers, including cautious boards and limited experience with social impact evaluation. DI cannot change governance structures, but it can equip professionals with the framing and data that make difficult conversations more objective. “DI cannot compel boards to evolve, but we can equip staff with resources and framing that make these conversations less fraught and more productive,” she said. Benchmarks from the Futures Study and other research provide staff with a neutral evidence base that they can use to advocate for change within their own organisations.
 

Data, Accountability and the Path Ahead

The roadmap promotes data-driven advocacy, yet public trust in institutional communication is declining. DI is addressing this credibility gap by partnering with recognised experts to produce sentiment and performance data and by encouraging common metrics that allow destinations to learn collectively. “Credibility is built through the quality of information, the transparency with which it is shared and the extent to which community members feel represented within it,” Sophia said. She supports shared metrics and thirdparty validation as essential steps for ensuring legitimacy with residents and policymakers.

DI’s broader vision is captured in what it calls The Destination Effect, which seeks to measure outcomes such as policy alignment, funding stability, resident trust and long-term economic vitality. Sophia is clear that organisations will be recognised not for compelling narratives but for evidence. “Our priority is to reward organisations that demonstrate evidence-based impact rather than just compelling storytelling,” she explained. This represents a shift from traditional destination marketing towards governanceoriented accountability.

The initiative also addresses the expanding scope of destination organisations. Although 84% now engage in destination development, few have formal authority in planning or infrastructure decisions. Sophia emphasises that DI is not asking organisations to assume roles they do not legally possess. Instead, she believes their influence comes from their convening power. “The leadership role we envision does not require formal authority, but it does require skill in facilitation, community engagement and nonpartisan communication,” she said.

DI is supporting this through training on conflict-sensitive communication, language that allows destination leaders to speak credibly about sensitive issues and the encouragement of advisory structures that include residents and underrepresented groups. The aim is to help organisations strengthen community legitimacy without compromising neutrality or credibility.
 

"Advocacy becomes far less vulnerable to organisational or political turnover when it is defined as essential and not discretionary."

Part of ensuring lasting relevance is recognising what failure looks like. Sophia offers a clear view: “Failure is not theoretical. It can result from losing the narrative with residents, losing influence with policymakers and ultimately losing funding because the organisation cannot articulate its true economic and social value to the community.” DI is developing earlywarning mechanisms through its research, accreditation feedback and advisory activities, alongside a hotline for rapidresponse guidance.

The upcoming Advocacy and Action: Destination Impact Event, taking place from 20 to 22 October 2026 in Ottawa, Canada, is designed to accelerate adoption. Rather than separating advocacy and impact, the event integrates both through clinics, challenge-based sessions and cross-functional learning pathways. Success will be measured not by satisfaction but by whether participants adopt new metrics, update their advocacy strategies or achieve outcomes linked to tools or relationships developed at the event.

The global relevance of the initiative remains a priority, particularly for destinations operating under different governance systems. Sophia emphasises that DI’s frameworks are designed as adaptable scaffolding. Her commitment is grounded in listening and regional collaboration. The ambition is not to export a North American model, but to provide principles of leadership, resilience and community engagement that can be applied across diverse political and cultural contexts.
 

Published by Meeting Media Company, the publisher of Headquarters Magazine (HQ) – a leading international publication based in Brussels, serving the global MICE industry and association community.