Barbara Jamison-Woods makes history as first president from London to lead City Destinations Alliance

Barbara Jamison-Woods has made history by being appointed as the first president of the City Destinations Alliance (City DNA) from London.  

The newly elected president will work alongside the CityDNA board and its 121 members - which include tourist boards, convention bureaus, and city marketing organisations – to promote responsible and sustainable tourism across Europe. CityDNA was set up to connect European cities and urban regions looking to build, shape, and grow their visitor economies. 

Jamison-Woods’ appointment was announced during the City Destinations Alliance International Conference and General Assembly in Bologna, where she was elected to serve a three-year term.  

With 25 years of experience in global tourism and destination promotion, Jamison-Woods brings valuable expertise from her role as Head of Europe at London & Partners, the capital’s business growth and destination agency – where she regularly works with cities across the continent. Jamison-Woods is also an active advocate for sustainable tourism and travel within the industry. 

Her appointment comes as Europe gears up to play host to major events like the Olympics in Paris, the World Summit AI in Amsterdam, as well as the European Society of Cardiology Congress in London. 

Barbara Jamison-Woods, the newly elected president, said: “Europe welcomes millions of visitors each year, making it a top destination worldwide. As the president of the City Destinations Alliance, my job is to make sure that we make the most of this, by showing off all the great places to stay and visit - and by making sure tourism helps our economies grow. I believe strongly in the power of working together and I’ll work hard to support every part of our industry and show why Europe is a great place for people to live, work, meet, and explore.” 

Barbara's appointment follows her six-year tenure on the CityDNA board, including three years as vice president focusing on promoting city collaboration. 

Commenting on the new appointment, City DNA’s Chief Operating Officer, Flavie de Bueil added: “We are delighted that Barbara is leading our alliance. Her outstanding experience in the tourism and meetings sector, combined with her strong team spirit, will certainly boost the Alliance, the new brand, and the delivery of its current WeGeneration strategy.  

Having Barbara as president is the perfect example that we are a truly European network, with more than 120 destination management organisations across the continent. 

We are also looking forward to seeing Barbara use her background in the association world to make City Destinations Alliance grow and diversify our membership with deeper engagement. We also foresee bigger advocacy on the role of cities, including her commitment to a sustainable, inclusive, and responsible visitor economy that benefits people, the planet, and prosperity.” 

The City Destinations Alliance International Conference, attended by over 200 industry members, also saw the election of other key positions, including treasurer and vice president. To find out more, please visit: https://citydestinationsalliance.org/mpage/HomepageCityDNABologna2024