Kurt L. Paben, Megan Martinez, Deanna Sandstrom, and John O’Donovan pictured during DMC Panel May 12, 2023

Prestige recently had the opportunity to engage with a DMC panel at the annual Prestige Sales Partner Conference in Puerto Rico. The panel included Kurt L. Paben, Chief Executive Officer at Hosts Global, John O’Donovan, Senior National Sales Director at RMC, and Megan Martinez, Global Business Director at 360 Destination Group. It was moderated by Deanna Sandstorm, VP of Sales and Industry Relations, Prestige.

Deanna asked the three panelists to define what is a DMC specifically in terms of their companies then questions from the sales team. Here are some key takeaways from the discussion:

DS: What is a DMC specifically related to your company?
KP: We provide “the stuff”; event design, tours, off site experiences, etc.
But what is the value?  You are buying local expertise. We save you time and our suppliers are highly vetted. We have local influence and can react when there is a problem.
MM: Risk management is key. Clients can also leverage the relationships that the DMC partners had already established.
JD: We can also provide the newest, most exciting, or unique experiences a client could not find themselves.

DS: What are some “post pandemic” changes and updates you have implemented?
JD: RMC has had to be creative with staff. We conceived a whole new educational arm to the company to build consistency.
MM: In addition to staffing, 360 Destination Group built a new global team.
KP: Hosts Global re-vetted suppliers to make sure that there was a strong supply chain in place.

DS: When should our sales team introduce a DMC to their clients?
MM: The sooner the better. The current supply chain can take time and it’s possible for things to be gone, rooms, transportation, etc. We can also be a resource to help you sell a destination.
KP: We also look at the event and determine, “can we bring value to this situation”? If not, we can still help you bring value to the event. Our relationships are important.
JD: We have hotel partners that reach out to us looking for business. A DMC can tell you what hotels are potentially offering better deals.

DS: How do DMCs determine what costs to pass on to a client, specifically referring to site inspections?
KP: What is cost? Cost of direct goods vs the cost of the time saved using a DMC. We can provide different price models and budgets to meet a client’s needs.
Site inspections are less likely complimentary post covid so we have to ask ourselves if it makes sense to absorb the cost vs the potential value.

DS: What are some cool new things people are asking, trends for the season?
JD: Be local, meet local. Clients want to meet local people and use local products, anything to feel like they are immersed in the culture. They also want to engage with people that can tell a story.
MM: Wellness, sustainability, team building, down time, CSR projects.
KP: How does the event evolve and change throughout the evening. The idea of surprise and delight throughout the night!

DS: What is something that is least asked for but most impactful?
KP: How do you want people to feel when they leave?
MM: What’s the room going to feel like, smell like, change throughout the night? If we aren’t bringing the fairy dust to the event, we aren’t doing our job.
JD: Let us help you. Even if we don’t get the business, we want to build those relationships.

If you have more questions or want to know how partnering with a DMC can help your next event, please connect with your Prestige Sales Partner.