Destinations International Foundation records a record year and strengthens investments in the future of destination tourism
The Destinations International Foundation has published its annual report for 2025, in which it states its most successful investment cycle to date, the expansion of programs intended for destination organizations and the continuation of investments in research, professional development, advocacy and sustainable tourism management. The foundation, connected with the organization Destinations International, emphasizes in the report that during the year it exceeded the set investment goals and directed almost 700,000 US dollars into 21 funded initiatives. Among them are also 97 scholarships intended for professionals from smaller destination organizations, international members and candidates for professional development in the destination management sector.
According to the Destinations International announcement of January 12, 2026, the fundraising goal for 2025 amounted to 1,103,800 US dollars, and the foundation had collected 1,136,427 dollars by the end of the campaign. In public announcements and media reports, that result is rounded as more than 1.1 million, or approximately 1.2 million dollars, which the organization describes as confirmation of strong industry support. The money is intended for programs that range from research into destination perception and the attitudes of local communities toward tourism to the development of new generations of professionals and more accessible educational tools for the tourism sector.
The foundation positions itself as a research and development pillar of destination organizations
The Destinations International Foundation defines its role in the report as a kind of research-and-development center for destination organizations. Such organizations, often known as tourist boards, convention bureaus or destination management organizations, have in recent years been facing significantly more complex tasks than the classic promotion of tourist attractions. They are increasingly expected to participate in shaping public policies, measuring the impact of tourism on the community, developing the workforce, sustainable visitor management and responding to social issues that may affect a destination’s reputation.
The annual report states that the foundation invests in four key areas: advocacy and research, professional development and talent attraction, social impact and inclusive environments, and global engagement and sustainable destinations. Such a structure shows how destination tourism is increasingly viewed as an economic and social system, and not only as a set of promotional campaigns. In practice, this means that the success of a destination is no longer measured exclusively by the number of arrivals and overnight stays, but also by the attitude of the local population toward tourism, the accessibility of the destination to different groups of travelers, the quality of jobs, the ability to manage crowds and the contribution to the broader development of the community.
The foundation particularly emphasizes that every dollar invested in its programs is directed toward the long-term strengthening of the professionalism, credibility and influence of the destination sector. Such an emphasis reflects a change in the global tourism industry after the period of pandemic disruptions, the accelerated return of travel and the growing expectations of local communities. Destinations today must simultaneously attract visitors, prove the benefit of tourism for residents, mitigate the negative effects of excessive pressures and build resilience to changes in demand, technology and the geopolitical environment.
Almost 700,000 dollars for 21 initiatives and 97 scholarships
One of the most important figures from the report concerns the amount that the foundation directly directed into programs during 2025. According to the annual report, almost 700,000 dollars was allocated to 21 funded initiatives, including 97 scholarships. These funds are not described only as support for individual projects, but as an investment in a broader system of knowledge, skills and tools that help destination organizations in decision-making.
Scholarship programs are especially important for smaller organizations, which often do not have the same financial opportunities as large city or national tourism bodies. The foundation states that the scholarships are intended, among others, for professionals from small destination organizations with annual budgets of up to three million dollars, participants in annual conventions and specialized summits, and candidates for the Certified Destination Management Executive program. This seeks to reduce the gap between large and smaller destinations in access to education, networking and professional development.
The report also states that in 2025 almost 130,000 dollars was invested in scholarships. A special part relates to the HBCU Scholarship Initiative program, which in 2025 included 12 scholarship recipients from five universities. That program is then developing into the broader Pathways to Success: Scholarship & Professional Development model, aimed at hospitality and tourism students in the United States of America and Canada. The new approach includes not only financial aid for tuition, but also mentoring, professional development and stronger connection with the industry, which should help create a broader pool of future professionals.
Programs for young leaders and workforce development
Among the foundation’s most visible programs is 30 Under 30, which each year highlights thirty professionals under the age of 30 from destination organizations and the wider tourism industry. The program is conceived as a combination of recognition, education, networking and exposure of young professionals to leading actors in the sector. In the report, the foundation states that in 2025 it covered registration and travel costs for program participants to the Destinations International annual convention and raised more than 11,000 dollars in additional support for that program.
Workforce development is one of the topics gaining increasing importance in global tourism. The shortage of qualified personnel, changes in employee expectations, the need for digital skills and the growing importance of inclusivity shape the way destinations plan the future. For that reason, the foundation connects scholarships, mentoring work, professional certificates and programs for young professionals into a broader talent development strategy. The report also mentions the Young Professional Leadership Development Program, or Rising Industry Professionals Program, which continued in 2025 as an additional path for early career development through the convention, webinars, mentoring and networking.
Such programs also have broader significance for destinations. If tourism promotion and destination management increasingly rely on data, social sensitivity, artificial intelligence, sustainability and relations with the local community, then the profile of professionals in the sector is also changing. Professionals are needed who can understand the market, but also communicate with local authorities, residents, investors, event organizers and business partners. Precisely for that reason, the foundation presents its programs not only as support for individuals, but as an investment in the institutional ability of destinations to cope with new expectations.
Research on reputation, residents and new measures of success
A large part of the work of the Destinations International Foundation relates to research. In the announcement about the achieved goal for 2025, the financing of the research Destination Reputation: Responding to Societal Issues was highlighted, intended for better understanding the impact of public perception, safety and social issues on demand for meetings, conventions and events. The foundation also supported national resident sentiment studies in the United States of America and Canada, whose goal is to provide destination leaders with data on how residents see the benefits and challenges of tourism.
These studies fit into a broader trend in which destinations increasingly seek to prove their value not only with business results, but also with their contribution to the community. Destinations International states in the DestinationNEXT Futures Study for 2025 that the global visitor economy is in a period of deep transition. The study, prepared with the contribution of a global advisory council, five industry panels and a survey among more than 530 respondents from 36 countries and territories, identifies the 25 most important strategies and eight forces shaping the future of destination organizations.
Among the highlighted topics are geopolitical instability, labor shortages, new measures of success and the accelerated impact of artificial intelligence. The study emphasizes that destination organizations are moving from a traditional marketing role into multidimensional leadership that includes destination development, advocacy, community engagement, policy and product management. In other words, the question is no longer only how to attract a larger number of visitors, but how to design a tourism model that is economically sustainable, socially acceptable and flexible enough for changes that are happening ever faster.
Sustainable destinations, accessibility and social impact
In the annual report for 2025, the foundation particularly highlights social impact, accessibility and sustainable destination management. This includes projects such as the Global Accessibility Learning Series, a program that should help destinations create more accessible environments for travelers of different abilities, and the Destination Stewardship Initiative, focused on responsible tourism practices connected with sustainable development goals. The report also mentions tools such as a guide for food recovery and redistribution at events, which shows that sustainability is increasingly being translated into concrete operational practices.
One example of that approach relates to the Destination Guide to Food Recovery & Redistribution at Events, created from the experiences of the Destinations International annual convention in Chicago in 2025. That guide describes a model in which event planning is also viewed through impact on the community, waste reduction, support for local organizations and more responsible resource management. Such programs show that sustainability in the tourism sector is no longer reduced only to environmental messages, but is connected with supply chains, social well-being and the way large gatherings leave a mark in the host destination.
In the report, the foundation also states projects focused on inclusive and welcoming environments, among which is the LGBTQ+ Welcoming Toolkit. Such tools are intended for destinations that want to work more systematically on the feeling of safety, welcome and belonging of different groups of visitors and residents. In a politically and socially sensitive global environment, a destination’s reputation increasingly depends on the ability to respond to issues of safety, inclusivity, public trust and alignment of tourism development with the values of the local community.
Destinations International expands membership and global reach
The foundation operates alongside Destinations International, an organization that presents itself as a global resource for destination organizations. According to data published on the Destinations International website, in 2025 the organization admitted 66 new and reactivated members, reached 778 destination members worldwide and expanded its presence to 40 countries and territories. At the same time, a membership retention rate of 95.7 percent was recorded, which the organization highlights as a record result.
These data are important for understanding the environment in which the foundation is achieving growth. After the pandemic and the period of accelerated travel recovery, destination organizations are seeking stronger arguments for funding, better comparability of data and new ways of proving the benefits of tourism. When tourism development becomes the subject of debates about housing, infrastructure, the environment, safety, local revenues and quality of life, destination organizations must have reliable research and a clear language with which they can explain their role.
For that reason, the foundation’s activities cannot be viewed only as the internal philanthropy of one industry organization. It is an attempt to systematically strengthen the capacity of a sector that is located between the market, public policies and local communities. In that sense, research on resident sentiment, tools for measuring the impact of events, scholarships for small destinations and education on artificial intelligence are part of the same broader change: destination management is becoming more professional, more data-based and more politically visible.
A record result as a signal of change in the tourism sector
The announcement that the Destinations International Foundation exceeded its investment goal for 2025 comes at a moment when global tourism, according to UN Tourism data, after recovery from the pandemic period is facing a new phase of growth, but also uneven pressures by regions and markets. In such a context, destinations must address issues of capacity, sustainability, accessibility, competitiveness and the acceptance of tourism among residents. The collected 1,136,427 dollars is therefore not only a financial figure, but an indicator that industry stakeholders see the need for shared tools and long-term investment in knowledge.
In the statement published with the information on achieving the goal, Destinations International stated that investments during 2025 powered key initiatives and will directly finance programs that shape the destination sector in 2026. In the annual report, the foundation’s leadership, Don Welsh and Chelsea Dunlop Welter, emphasizes that the funds are the result of support from members and partners and that every funded initiative and every scholarship arises from the belief that destinations have a role in economic opportunity, community pride and global connection.
The further development of the foundation will show to what extent such programs will turn into broader industry standards. It is already clear that destination tourism is moving toward a model in which organizations are expected to do more than promotion, and their leaders are required to work with data, residents, technology and public policies. The record result of the Destinations International Foundation for 2025 can therefore be read as a reflection of change: the travel and tourism sector is investing in its own ability to explain, measure and responsibly manage the impact it has on the places in which it operates.
Sources:- Destinations International Foundation – The foundation’s annual report for 2025, with data on funded initiatives, scholarships and strategic priorities (link)- Destinations International – Announcement on exceeding the fundraising goal for 2025 and the amount of 1,136,427 US dollars (link)- Destinations International – Page about the foundation, its mission, fundraising goal and areas of investment (link)- Destinations International – Overview of the organization and data on membership, global reach and annual reports for 2025 (link)- Destinations International – DestinationNEXT Futures Study 2025, with an overview of trends, strategies and changes in the role of destination organizations (link)- Destinations International – Announcement on the DestinationNEXT 2025 study and the methodology that includes more than 530 respondents from 36 countries and territories (link)- eTurboNews – Original media text about 30 years of the foundation’s impact and record growth in 2025 (link)
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