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What are ECM Knowledge Groups?

ECM Knowledge Groups (KGs) are expert teams focusing on specific aspects of city marketing and urban tourism development. They discuss issues, share best practices, prepare reports, conduct surveys and, in certain cases, undertake joint marketing activities.

Each group is composed of a minimum of 6 persons and they meet on a regular basis in ‘closed’ and/or ‘open’ formats. The former are restricted to Knowledge Group members, while the ‘open groups’ occur when the group decides to share their experience with the wider ECM membership.

How can I join a Knowledge Group?

The ECM Knowledge Groups are composed of members interested in sharing their expertise on a specific topic. You should be able to invest some of your time to work for the group and bring your knowledge. Also, you must be able to participate in at least 1 meeting per year.

To join a group, please contact the Chairperson and you will be gladly admitted! There will certainly be a topic of interest to you. The more you will give, the more you will get! Even if you are not part of the group, see how you can contribute.

Goals

• Gather insights and share experience and knowledge on how to set up, run and sell a city card;
• Produce regular reports and surveys and carry out joint marketing campaign;
• Provide a platform where Managers, Product Developers… can network and discuss the latest trends on city card marketing;
• Promote European city cards to the public and trade industry;
• Increase consumers’ awareness and encourage their purchase of city cards when travelling.

Current actions

• Annual City Cards Expert Meeting: 4-5 October 2018 in Zurich.
• Benchmarking survey on European city cards;
• City Cards branding campaign welovecitycards.com;
• Facebook page “Weekends in Europe“;
• Travel Trade Guide for European City Cards;
• Written chat on Skype (open to all ECM members), every two months on the second Thursday of the month at 2:00 p.m. (CET).

How can I contribute?

• This initiative is reserved to ECM members who are running a city card scheme. Should you wish to join, contact the ECM Head Office;
• Provide your city cards data to be part of a unique survey on European city cards;
• Asses your city card’s performance with our benchmark data and set of KPIs;
• Share marketing and strategic leads on how to launch and manage a successful city cards scheme.

What can I get?

• Be part of a pan-European brand for city cards;
• Benchmark your city cards with over 30 other destinations;
• Meet the expert during the annual City Cards Expert Meeting;
• Access exclusive data and insights, allowing you to improve your product offer.

Goals

• This group is providing a platform for City Marketing destinations to exchange knowledge, best practice and widen their network to perform even better (positioning, branding, re-structuring,…).

How can I contribute?

• Share your knowledge about city marketing;
• Bring your strategic overview and discuss your daily challenges.

What can I get?

• Best practice;
• Benchmark opportunities;
• Exchange of expertise.

Goals

• Gather and share insights on the digital tourism landscape across Europe;
• Provide expertise to help CTOs to manage their digital transformation.

Current actions

• New lecturers for each session;
• Re-launch Google Analytics benchmarking (in collaboration with R&S group);
• Collaboration with Digital Tourism Think Tank and participation to the DTIC;
• Regular chats.

How can I contribute?

• Showcase your experience on your latest digital campaign, your latest website or app;
• Be part of the Google Analytics benchmarking campaign.

What can I get?

• Best practice;
• Benchmark opportunities;
• Exchange of expertise.

Goals

• The Editorial Board is in charge of the content of the ‘ECM Benchmarking Report’ as well as further development/improvement of the report and securing its data quality and consistency.

Current actions

• Production of the ECM Benchmarking Report;
• Improve internal and external promotional activities for the report.

How can I contribute?

• Make sure your city is part of the ECM Benchmarking Report, enter your bednights in TourMIS on a monthly or annual basis: www.tourmis.info!

What can I get?

• A copy of the latest ECM Benchmarking Report and the complete data set included in your membership fee;
• Access to city tourism benchmark tools www.citytourismbenchmark.com;
• Benchmark calculations and forecast (market volumes, guest mix share) based on latest data.

Goals

• This group is responsible for the planning and delivery of important convention marketing projects;
• The group exchanges and identifies key issues in the Meetings Industry to be tackled and put on the programme of ECM seminars or in best practices’ sessions. They offer a platform where members can exchange best practices and have open discussions on all the topics of interest to those working in European convention bureaux.

Current actions

• Best practice sessions: dedicated to Conventions members;
• ECM Summer School: August 25-29, 2018 in Thessaloniki;
• ECM Academy: ECM is exporting the ECM Summer School concept to emerging destinations in non-European continents;
• Build relationships and do business with other European cities;
• Represent ECM during JMIC meetings, and make ECM known among the Meetings Industry global landscape.

How can I contribute?

• Exchange experience on the latest trends in the Meetings Industry;
• See how to spread knowledge to all members.

What can I get?

• Best practice experiences;
• Build relationships and share knowledge with other European cities.

Goals

• The Research and Statistics group coordinates all research activities within the network and collaborates with ECM research partners;
• Gather and analyse insights within the ECM members network.

Current actions

• Publication of:
  • ECM Meetings Statistics Report;
  • Various research articles;
  • City Tourism Monitor (quarterly report);
  • ECM-ForwardKeys “Air travellers’ traffic Barometer”;
  • ECM-MKG “European Destination’s Observatory”;
  • ECM-TCI Research reports;
• Preparation to TourMIS workshop and international seminar in conjunction with ETC and the UNWTO;
• www.citytourismbenchmark.com.

How can I contribute?

• Send your stats;
• Benchmark your destination;
• We need from all members:
• • Meetings statistics data 1/year;
  • Financial situation 1/year.

What can I get?

• Learn how to benchmark yourself with other destinations on city tourism;
• Attend the TourMIS workshop;
• Get ECM regular reports in collaboration with ECM partners;
• In depth benchmarking with European counterparts during ECM meetings.

Goals

• Boost your TIC competitiveness and strengthen your visitors services and product offer;
• Share your tips on working in a TIC and running a successful visitor services department with your European counterparts;
• Deliver better customer-focused service;
• Encourage professional training and reward staff for their outstanding work.

Current actions

• Annual TIC Expert Meeting: 25-26 October 2018 in Lviv. Register now! Meet with your colleagues to discuss the latest trends, innovations and challenges impacting Tourism Information Centres across Europe;
• TIC Hostmanship Award – the 2018 nomination process will open in spring;
• Publication of City Hospitality Report, developing criteria for hospitality in cities and for TIC services;
• Written chat on Skype (open to all ECM members), every two months on the first Tuesday of the month at 2:30 p.m. (CET).

How can I contribute?

• Stay tuned! Join the chat every other month;
• Attend the TIC Expert Meeting: share your top tips and bring some new ideas to try at home;
• Share your experience in running a TIC;
• Showcase your latest trends!

What can I get?

• All the tools you need to stay ahead of the latest shifts and trends in hospitality and visitors services;
• From staff management tips to your TIC mobile and digital transition, the TIC Knowledge Group is there to help;
• Meet and communicate with TIC experts on a regular basis;
• Meet the experts!