Destination management
A destination management company (DMC) is a professional services company possessing extensive local knowledge, expertise and resources, specializing in the design and implementation of events, activities, tours, transportation and program logistics. According to a DMC company website a "DMC is a service professional company with a wide-range of knowledge and experience over the conditions and touristic resources of a region"[1]
In reality, there are very few destination management organizations. Management implies control, and rarely does a tourism organisation have control over the destination's resources, such as in the case of the New Zealand government's development of the resort town of Rotorua in the first half of the 20th Century.[2] The majority of these entities are regarded as destination marketing organizations See[3]
A DMC provides a ground service based on local knowledge of their given destinations. These services can be transportation, hotel accommodation, restaurants, activities, excursions, conference venues, themed events, gala dinners and logistics, meetings, incentive schemes as well as helping with overcoming language barriers. By acting as purchasing consortia, DMCs can provide preferential rates based on the buying power they have with their preferred suppliers.
Other services that a DMC can deliver are:
- Reception at airports or bus stations
- Gastronomy tours
- Theme parties (traditional or modern).
- Excursions and typical activities of the area.
- Projects teamwork and collaborative.
- Gifts for workgroups.
- Decoration for events.
- Entertainment events.
- Suggestions and support for housing.
- Graphic design and event signage.
- Recommendations agents customs.
- Car audio and video.
Differences with similar companies
While the term DMC is being widely used to identify a travel trade professional service, the service being offered is essentially the use of those ingredients, services and products already available at a particular destination and to which the user has provided no contribution other than use. These functions are performed by Travel Agents and Tour operators.
In this sense, the DMC can be distinguished from other related companies as:
- Tourist agency: a company offering travel products such as airline tickets, hotel reservations, cruises and excursions offered by tour operators.
- Tour Operator: A company that amalgamates travel products to offer tours and excursions.
- Convention Bureau: an agency that manages conferences and conventions.
References
- ↑ Creativo, Genotipo Laboratorio. "¿What is a DMC? | Tropical Incentives DMC". www.tropicalincentives.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 2016-02-11.
- ↑ Pike, S.(2016). Destination Marketing Essentials. (Second Edition). Oxford: Routledge.
- ↑ Pike, S., & Page, S. (2014). Destination marketing organizations and destination marketing: A narrative analysis of the literature. Tourism Management. 41:202-227. 10.1016/j.tourman.2013.09.009
«DMC’s & Incoming Tour Operators»