If you’re a meeting planning veteran, organizing a conference in the friendly confines of North America is a relative snap compared to crossing oceans and bridging what can be wide cultural gulfs.
A sterling example is dealing with international DMCs (destination management companies), which can make the difference between a stress-free, enjoyable event and an unmitigated disaster of global proportions.
“I always say it is a must [to hire a DMC] when you’re going to a country other than your own,” says Charles Chan Massey, founder and president of SYNAXIS Meetings & Events and an international meeting planning expert. “Basically, they know the lay of the land, they have relationships with vendors that we might not have access to, and sometimes they have preferred agreements. A lot of times they will have [existing] contracts with venues, so they can sell [space] to someone who has a last-minute meeting.”
For Massey, utilizing a trustworthy and organized international DMC is perhaps the most-important move when taking a meeting far from home, but make sure to ask a few key questions of any prospective hire.
“I always want to know how they handle payments. By wire? How do they spread out the payments?” Massey says. “Also ask, ‘Have you operated this type of program before? How long have you been in business? What industry associations are you a member of?’”
Any organization that is part of a major meetings industry association, such as MPI or PCMA, can generally be considered a cut above those who do not maintain such affiliations, and Massey adds that he always gets references or referrals.
Do Your Research
It definitely pays to do your homework before hiring on DMC help, and take into consideration the business culture where your meeting will be held. Cultures that place a high value on punctuality and organization—the Swiss and Germans are obvious examples—oftentimes have very efficient DMCs that leave no detail overlooked.
Massey points out that large international DMCs, such as AlliedPRA Destination Management (www.alliedpra.com) or Ovation Global DMC (www.ovationdmc.com), are safe bets. Another major international DMC is GEP Destination Management (www.gepdmc.com).
Good DMC research options include networks operated by Hosts Global Alliance (www.hosts-global.com) and World of DMCs (www.dmc.travel), as well as The DMC Network (www.dmcnetwork.com) and the Association of Destination Management Associations International, or ADMEI (www.admei.org), which have global affiliations with many DMCs.
ADMEI offers scores of resources for DMC selection, including a database, key definitions and a Code of Ethical Conduct, and is probably the best first stop when trying to get a handle on international DMCs.
According to Fran Rickenbach, executive vice president of ADMEI, the role of a DMC can be very different abroad.
“One significant difference between DMCs outside of North America and those within North America is DMCs [outside] are much more likely to be involved with the hotel selection,” Rickenbach says. “I think it’s just the way the meetings industry functions outside of North America.”
Rickenbach is a firm believer in tapping into various consortia to help select a DMC.
“There are a number of excellent DMC consortia, and each consortium does a review of the DMCs that apply to become a member,” she says. “If a U.S. planner is looking for a DMC outside of North America, look to the consortium to which the DMC belongs, as each strives toward certain standards.”
ADMEI has made a push to expand outside of North America in the past year—thus, the “I” added to the end of its acronym—and requires its members to have a minimum of $1 million in liability insurance and offer references from clients. Members also must subscribe to the association’s Code of Ethical Conduct.
No matter how you go about selecting a good DMC, the choice to hire one in the first place is a no-brainer for international meetings experts such as Massey.
“You’re out of your comfort zone, they speak the language, they know the currency and they know the officials,” Massey stresses. “Basically, if you think your budget can’t afford it, I say you can’t afford not to. Find some room in the budget because you need your eyes, ears and voice on the ground.”
