Start-ups play an ever increasing role in the transitional phase tourism currently finds itself, to become smart, more digitally intelligent, competitive and sustainable. Cities play a crucial role as harness thriving clusters of talent, ideas, experimentation and innovation. As tourism evolves and assumes a more engaged role beyond simply marketing, fostering such partnerships will become increasingly important. In this session, hear two different perspectives, a regional and city perspective as we explore how to support innovation ecosystems in tourism.