Seven destination marketing organizations (DMOs) have achieved accreditation from the Destination Marketing Accreditation Program (DMAP). Developed by Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI), this industry-wide accreditation program is designed to recognize DMOs that meet or exceed industry standards.

"DMAP accreditation is a commitment to achieving industry excellence, and these DMOs have shown their dedication to continually providing customers with superior service in accordance with international standards and benchmarks," remarked Diana Lawson, FCDME, board chair of DMAP and executive director of the Elkhart County CVB. "With 106 organizations currently accredited, it is evident that today's DMOs understand that the DMAP seal of accreditation is a brand that their customers and stakeholders are seeking."

This week, seven DMOs achieved DMAP accreditation for the application cycle ending 31 March 2010. Those destinations, which attained accreditation status for 2010-2014, are:

Anaheim/Orange County VCB (California, USA) 
Hershey/Harrisburg Regional CVB, Hershey (Pennsylvania, USA) 
Indianapolis CVA (Indiana, USA)* 
LaPorte County CVB (Indiana, USA)* 
San Antonio CVB (Texas, USA) 
Visit Topeka, Inc. (Kansas, USA) 
Washington County Visitors Association (Oregon, USA)
*Renewed accreditation

"The DMAP brand continues to expand, strengthening its visibility worldwide," said Michael D. Gehrisch, president & CEO of DMAI. "Accredited DMOs can now be found in more than 70% of the United States (35 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico) as well as in Canada and Europe.  With DMOs holding themselves to a higher standard, meeting planners and travelers alike can rest assured that their business is in good hands."

To become accredited a DMO is required to provide evidence of compliance with 54 mandatory standards and 33 voluntary standards. The standards set by DMAP cover a wide variety of topics including governance, finance, management, human resources, technology, visitor services, group services, sales, communications, membership, brand management, destination development, research/market intelligence, innovation, and stakeholder relationships.