One thing which characterises the promotion activities of the DMC is that they first promote the destination, then their companies. DMC’s are the most active allies of National Tourist Boards and hoteliers even if the destination is well known in the international market.

This is due to the fact that a “tourist destination” and “an incentive/meeting destination” are two completely different products. A destination can be a successful tourist one without being recognised as such in the incentive market. Having beautiful beaches or well known archaeological sites helps, but does not make you an incentive or meeting destination. Thus one of the prime roles of the DMC is to find, package, and present the unique products that attract incentives and meetings. Even if a NTB has a specialised department for the promotion of Incentives and Meetings, the assistance of the DMC in selling the destination is imperative. The Tourist Board staff, and  live most of the time abroad, and they cannot have the daily and updated “in depth knowledge” required by this market.

New availability of venues, rooms capacities, artistic groups, the downgrade of an hotel’s services and many other elements of this nature are the daily tools of a DMC’s knowledge, and must be used to demonstrate why your client should work with you.

There might be exceptions depending on local conditions but in my opinion, when p, the DMC should concentrate his promotion at two targets, Corporate “end” the Incentive and Meeting specialists.

Targeting the “Public” and influencing the public opinion should be the job of the National Tourist boards and Convention Offices who dispose by far more important promotion budgets than any DMC can afford.

Promotion materials designated to each one of these two categories should be of a different nature and approach. Materials for end users must excite their desire to “go there,” materials for the incentive specialist, must convince them that “this is the destination they should offer to their customer”.

At the next issue: The Trade Shows

© Tasso Pappas CITE
Tasso Pappas is President of the SITE Greek Chapter and served as President of SITE Intl. in 2000. This article is an extract from his book “To be or not to be a DMC” which he wrote in 1996 as his thesis for the certification CITE (Certified Incentive Travel Executive). More information about Tasso Pappas you can find at http://sites.google.com/site/tassopappasconsultancy/
Contact: tassopappas@otenet.gr