Academy

By sharing our frameworks and experiences, and enabling collaboration and play we develop professionals with the right mindsets, skillsets and toolsets to catalyse a regenerative future.

The GDS-Academy, co-created with ICCA and CityDNA, provides cutting-edge training for event and tourism professionals.  

Whether you’re looking for event management courses or storytelling courses, our destination specialist courses will empower you to ensure your destination has a more positive impact. We help you translate ideas into action, fostering positive social, environmental, and economic impacts. Our aim is to empower professionals with the skills needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving sector redefined by new sustainability regulations. Led by experts in sustainable destination management and regenerative practices, our faculty delivers immersive, engaging, and interactive learning experiences with a focus on peer-to-peer exchange and dynamic learning.  

The GDS-Academy designs its courses for two groups: 

For Organisations:

  1. In-house training tailored to destination management organisations (NTOs, DMOs, CVBs).
  2. Group training sessions facilitated through NTOs, RTOs or associations. 
  3. On-site training directly at a destination, conducted in collaboration with the DMO, focusing on suppliers such as hotels, venues, restaurants, activity providers, and event organisers.

For Professionals:

  1. Courses designed specifically for destination management professionals. 
  2. These masterclasses offer advanced learning opportunities in regenerative destination management.

 

Unlock the potential of destination management in the regenerative era! Join our immersive, 4-month Certificate course and embrace innovative strategies to lead your destination towards a more sustainable future. From pioneering regenerative business models to fostering meaningful stakeholder engagement, this journey is your roadmap to creating thriving, resilient destinations for generations to come. Guided by industry leaders and experts, this transformative experience will equip you with the tools and insights to drive positive change and unlock new opportunities in tourism. Are you ready to shape the future of regenerative destinations? Join us on this empowering journey 

GDS-Insights

Step into the world of sustainability storytelling with our immersive Masterclass tailored specifically for Destination Management Organisation (DMO) professionals. In this engaging 4-module course, we’ll delve into the art of effective communication, exploring how traditional strategies can be harnessed to amplify sustainability messaging. Through captivating case studies and real-world examples, you’ll discover the power of storytelling to inspire action and foster positive change in your destination. Gain priceless insights into behaviour change methodologies and storytelling tools that empower you to craft compelling narratives with purpose and impact. 

Unlock the secrets to impactful, long-term, legacy-focused destination management with our dynamic workshop series. Designed for destination professionals, our interactive sessions blend theory with practical tools, empowering you to develop robust impact strategies and measurement processes for your destination’s business events. Dive into innovative techniques like digital post-its and co-creation brainstorming, and gain insights from expert-led case studies. With live sessions and access to course content for 2 months, you can elevate your skills and drive meaningful change with this Masterclass designed and delivered with #Meet4impact. 

People sitting in a circle discussing a sustainable topic at the GDS-Forum in Valencia.

Discover the future of event management with our Regenerative Events Management Masterclass. Explore the Regenerative Revolution, shifting from sustainability to regenerative practices. Led by industry experts, this masterclass covers strategy development, stakeholder engagement, and measurement. Perfect for event professionals seeking impactful change, our interactive sessions empower you to create long-term, sustainable events. Elevate your skills and drive meaningful change with our dynamic workshop series.

Accelerate your destination’s sustainable development with our Sustainable and Regenerative Tourism Masterclass 101. Designed for tourism and event professionals who want to start or enhance their sustainability journey, this course offers in-depth knowledge and practical skills to develop regenerative tourism initiatives, engage local communities, and communicate sustainable strategies effectively. Delivered through flexible online, hybrid, and in-person formats, our experts will guide you in building impactful tourism initiatives that empower your destination’s regenerative journey.

desert floor with cracks with plant in the middle

Are you a Destination Management Organisation or Tourism Organisation aiming to drive climate action? Our climate masterclass equips you with the skills to create actionable strategies, involve key partners, and develop climate action plans. Learn to maximise positive impacts and build resilience through five comprehensive modules. Offered in flexible online, hybrid, and in-person formats, this course is tailored to empower your destination’s sustainable transformation.