WORLD TURNS AROUND DESTINATIONS

By Titta Rosvall,
Managing Director European Office DMAI


GLOBAL MEETINGS & TOURISM ALL ABOUT DESTINATION MARKETING
Several studies focused on decision making processes, needs and behavioural tendencies of participants attending congresses have been conducted. They all reveal the same tendency, when featuring out the most important factors impacting the decision making process to participate - Destination, time & content. As a meeting planner you know that it is your event destination, and the way it is been presented, that in human minds create the first image – positive or negative – to look for more information….it is only then when time and content of the event come in picture to shape the decision making.

As a supplier; whether you represent a hotel, convention centre, restaurant or transport provider, it is much more likely that your occupancy rate and sales figures are higher provided that your destination is successful in attracting visitors, and that you have means to partner with the professionals that are promoting the destination. So, don’t you also tend to begin you sales pitch by: come and visit and experience…Aren’t you also a destination marketer?

Destination Marketing Organisations (DMOs), (i.e. official, not-for-profit representatives of the destinations), should be very close to you if you are a meeting planner, and they can be of added value to support your success. Whether it is the regional or national …visit.com, meetingat.com, Convention Bureau, Tourist Office – what ever the name, they will help you to promote and position your event, so you do not have to reinvent the wheel to make your event attractive to the participants from the destination point of view. DMOs have already done this for you. Not only in this positioning exercise are DMOs of great value, but they can also give a lot of practical assistance. Ask them for advice & discuss your needs - you can be sure that you get the best-of-the-best, tailored to your event and your audience.

The world turns around destinations, no matter what your position in the global meetings industry – as an industry professional, take a close look at this:

DESTINATION MARKETING ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL
-COMING CLOSER TO YOU IN EUROPE.
It is only very recently that **DMAI (formerly known International Association of Convention & Visitors’ Bureau, IACVB) has taken the first step to support official Destination Marketing Organisations globally, by starting European operations in Brussels.
***MCI-Brussels has been appointed the European Headquarters and *Titta Rosvall becomes Managing Director of DMAI’s European Office. As the first DMAI office outside the United States, the Brussels office provides a permanent point of contact for professionals in European DMOs and industry suppliers. The office will also focus on enhancing the association’s identity throughout Europe and drive the adaptation of education & business development opportunities to be regionally relevant in Europe.
 “With MCI’s facilitation, DMAI’s goal is to provide the resources that destination marketing professionals around the world need to succeed,” remarked Michael D. Gehrisch, DMAI President & CEO. “These tools include education opportunities such as our Sales Academy™ & Certified Destination Management Executive (CDME) Programmes, as well as our extensive research on destination branding and performance reporting.”
Over the past few years, our industry has made significant progress in elevating the relevancy of DMOs worldwide. Performance reporting has helped shape the way tourism offices report results to stakeholders, while branding has improved their positioning. With these two important initiatives weaving their way through the fabric of our industry, DMAI is currently launching a set of industry-wide operational standards for DMOs with its new DMAP—Destination Marketing Accreditation Program.

GREAT POTENTIAL FOR DMAI IN EUROPE
As part of its global expansion, DMAI is also welcoming the British Association of Conference Destinations as an industry partner. BACD, the trade association representing conference destination marketing organizations across the British Isles, is partnering with DMAI to extend dual membership to all full members of BACD.

Regarding DMAI’s expansion into Europe, Lars Bernhard Jørgensen, Managing Director of Wonderful Copenhagen & member of DMAI Global Committee, comments: "Due to its large and coherent size, the North American market for meetings works in a very professional way. For many years DMAI has facilitated the development of this market by sharing best practice and developing tools. Thanks to the DMAI European expansion, it is now possible for European DMOs to tap into this professional tool box. I can only recommend my colleagues to take a close look at this new initiative."

"This is a great step for DMAI and one I know will take the organisation into clear blue water. With strong leadership, good listening skills and an open inclusive approach, we should expect strong growth in Europe and I look forward to being part of that," said David Hornby, Visit London Commercial Director & member of DMAI Global Committee.

DMAI it is not just about Meetings Industry. DMOs can also market to the leisure traveller through DMAI’s OfficialTravelGuide.com:
www.officialtravelguide.com

As professional in the industry, you can extend your destination marketing knowledge, further your career and gain a competitive advantage to better achieve your sales goals by attending DMAI Professional Development Programmes. Senior industry executives can also acquire vital knowledge at DMAI’s CEO Forum Europe in Brussels, 12-14 October 2007.
Visit www.destinationmarketing.org for more information and / or contact:

Titta Rosvall
Managing Director - European Office
DMAI
Avenue de Tervueren 300
B-1150 Brussels, Belgium

Phone: + 32 (0)2 789 23 44
Fx: + 32 (0)2 743 15 50
email : trosvall@destinationmarketing.org