Legacy is no longer a buzzword, it is a strategic imperative for leading European destinations that aim to connect business events with real, lasting impact. Within the EU CVB Network, destinations are stepping up, each at their own pace and in their own way, to develop legacy-focused strategies that resonate with their communities, institutions, and industries. From the Nordic models to Mediterranean momentum, here’s how some of the EU CVB Network members are actively advancing the legacy agenda.
Gothenburg: A Recognised Pioneer in Legacy Frameworks
In Gothenburg, impact and legacy are central to the city’s sustainable event strategy. Gothenburg has a long tradition of using business and public events as tools for sustainable development and positive change. The destination has developed the Gothenburg Way to Legacy. A comprehensive framework that has twice been a finalist in the Meet4Impact / Global Destination Sustainability Movement Impact Award. Coordinated by Göteborg & Co, the city’s DMO, the legacy strategy is supported by an organisation-wide impact group and rooted in cross-sector collaboration. Events are intentionally linked to the city’s development plans and strong knowledge sectors, ensuring measurable, long-term outcomes.
🔗 Meetings with impact – Göteborg & Co
Florence: Legacy Woven into Culture and Accessibility
For Destination Florence Convention Bureau, legacy is about embedding events into the city’s cultural and social fabric. The upcoming Low Vision 2025 congress exemplifies this approach, with legacy initiatives designed for the visually impaired. Including tactile tours at the Uffizi Gallery, visits to rehabilitation centres, and an accessibility audit of venues. Firenze Fiera, in collaboration with local partners, even introduced tactile maps at Palazzo degli Affari. Florence proves that legacy can be deeply human, accessible, and aligned with the city’s heritage and community values.
Valencia: From Strategy to Practice
Though formal legacy plans are still in development, Valencia is increasingly aligning its event strategy with long-term impact goals. The destination works closely with local partners to ensure that events contribute meaningfully to the community. As the European Green Capital 2024, Valencia is uniquely positioned to integrate legacy through its sustainability efforts, innovation ecosystem, and commitment to embedding impact from the earliest planning stages of an event.
Ljubljana: A Case of Global Legacy and Local Regeneration
One of Ljubljana’s most significant legacy outcomes is the establishment of the International Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence (IRCAI), catalyzed by the 2nd World OER Congress in 2017. This congress triggered international support and led to the formal establishment of the centre under the auspices of UNESCO in 2020. Today, Ljubljana is designing a program to help event organisers actively leave a positive footprint. The city’s tourism strategy further embraces regenerative tourism, aiming not just to reduce harm, but to revive and enrich local communities through innovation and creativity.
Salzburg: Legacy, One Event at a Time
While not yet formalised in a single document, Salzburg’s legacy approach is integrated on a case-by-case basis. Whether through student workshops linked to scientific congresses, reforestation projects, or fundraising runs through the city, Salzburg ensures that events contribute to community wellbeing. The Salzburg Convention Bureau is building a network of local projects and partners, especially within education, to better align event planning with local needs and priorities.
Lyon: Laying the Groundwork for Future Legacy
Lyon recognises the importance of legacy and is in the exploratory phase of building a structured legacy plan. Acknowledging that such plans require cross-institutional collaboration, the destination is consulting with stakeholders and assessing how events can systematically contribute to social and environmental goals. In the meantime, Lyon encourages organisers to consider positive community outcomes and supports sustainable event practices.
What unites these diverse approaches is a shared belief. Business events should be more than momentary gatherings, they should be catalysts for change. Within the EU CVB Network, destinations support each other by sharing insights, and challenges around legacy planning. Whether through formal frameworks or evolving strategies, these cities are proving that collaboration drives collective progress. Recognising the growing demand for meaningful impact, the legacy EU CVB strategic imperative is guiding member destinations to embed long-term value into every stage of event planning.
