Panoramic view of Scheldebocht Antwerp © Sigrid Spinnox

Antwerp 2027.

THE DSTNCMP²⁷ IN THE HEART OF EUROPE.

ANTWERP – A METROPOLIS ON THE SCHELDE

Chocolate. Beer. Diamonds. Sure—Antwerp really knows how to do the Belgian classics.

If you take a closer look, however, you’ll discover a city where people, goods, cultures, and ideas have been coming together for centuries. A European hub shaped by exchange and international connections—and thus a rather fitting location for theDSTNCMP²⁷.

Because in 2027, we want to consciously broaden our horizons once again: beyond destinations, regions, and national borders. To learn from one another, bring together different perspectives, and discover which ideas can be adapted to our own spheres of influence. In the heart of Europe.

》The DSTNCMP²⁷will take place in Antwerp fromJune 15–17, 2027.《

The program We’re intentionally structuring the 2027 program a bit more tightly with a 4-day week in mind: arrival on Tuesday, followed by a taste of what’s to come and initial insights in the evening; Wednesday features the opening with a keynote and the first sessions; on Thursday, we’ll kick off with more sessions and head to various experiential spaces.

A CITY THAT THRIVES ON EXCHANGE

As early as the 15th and 16th centuries, Antwerp was one of Europe's major trading centers. People, goods, knowledge, and new influences flowed into the city via the Scheldt.

So, in a sense, exchange is part of our DNA here.

Even today , a wide variety of worlds come together in Antwerp: the international port industry and small, creative ventures; centuries-old buildings and bold new architecture; a rich art history; and a fashion and design scene that likes to make its own rules.

Peter Paul Rubens is an integral part of this art history; he lived and worked in Antwerp for most of his life and continues to shape the city to this day. In 2027, this connection will once again receive special attention: To mark the 450th anniversary of the Flemish Baroque painter’s birth , Antwerp will celebrate an entire “Year of Rubens,” featuring exhibitions, restoration projects, and new perspectives on his work and the man behind it.

It’s exactly this mix that interests us. At DestinationCamp, we’ve never been the type to simply copy-paste ready-made answers from A to B. We want to discover new perspectives, learn from one another, and give everyone the opportunity to make something of their own out of it.

PLACES THAT TELL STORIES

In Antwerp , too , we will make use of spaces that tell their own stories: of trade and new beginnings, of the Renaissance and centuries of city history—but also of change, new uses, and contemporary ideas.

Historic walls meet modern architecture. Great history meets new concepts. Preserving the past while thinking ahead (and sometimes it’s okay to be a little headstrong).

Antwerp demonstrates quite impressively that tradition and progress don’t have to be opposites. That it’s possible to respect history without getting stuck in it. And that new ideas emerge above all where different perspectives come together. That sounds familiar somehow.

A CLASSIC? OF COURSE

Of course, Antwerp just wouldn't be the same without them.

For centuries, the city has been one of the world’s leading centers of the diamond trade. Belgian beer is a given, and we probably don’t need to spend much time talking about chocolate. No one has to go without any of that—I promise!

At the same time, it’s worth looking beyond the familiar clichés about Antwerp: to creative neighborhoods, unusual concepts, international influences, and a city that, in many ways, confidently forges its own path.

BETWEEN HISTORY AND THE NEXT IDEA

Perhaps that is precisely what makes Antwerp so fascinating: the city doesn't try to settle on a single direction.

Historical or modern?
Cosmopolitan or rooted in the local community?
Great European history or a creative present?

Why “or,” anyway? Antwerp brings these things together —sometimes elegantly, sometimes surprisingly, and sometimes quite deliberately against the grain.

For us, this is a pretty good setting to work on the future of destinations. Together. With different perspectives. Right in the heart of Europe.

Antwerp, here we come.