features: opinion & comments: DMCs - know your value
DMCs - know your value
International catastrophes underline the importance of having a local partner, according to Christophe Verstraete, executive director, Euromic Often, travel programmes run smoothly and, even when profess-ionals are working tirelessly behind the scenes, it can be easy to forget the value that destination management companies (DMCs) offer planners.
Sometimes, however, outside forces intervene and travel planners need someone on the ground on whom to rely. Recently, such crises have given Euromic DMCs an opportunity to step up and remind the industry of the importance of having
a local partner.
April 2010 posed a veritable nightmare for the travel industry. Amid the spewing of massive ash clouds from the Icelandic volcano, Eyjafjallaj’kull, aviation authorities brought air traffic in the skies over Northern Europe to a halt.
During these unprecedented closures, members of the DMC consortium Euromic clearly demonstrated “the power of local knowledge” to their clients, including meeting, event and congress planners, as well as FIT travellers.
Spanish Heritage in Barcelona stressed how important it was that their client, a pharmaceutical company, had emergency cellular numbers for staff members, who could be reached 24 hours a day. This allowed the DMC to quickly change or cancel plans and keep the client up to date.
In Vienna, an emergency team was quickly assembled by Blaguss event.pro to work with clients around the clock. The Blaguss staff arranged for many congress visitors, some travelling from as far as Moscow, to return home
by bus or train.
Further east, guests of ODS Turkey were also being well looked after. The ODS Turkey response team distributed “Emergency Kits,” which contained snacks, medicine, pillows, socks and other items to keep the client comfortable and calm while alternative plans were being made. As ground services were in high demand, the DMC brought in buses from Germany and Slovakia in order to transport travellers home from Istanbul.
Holland Experts in Amsterdam reported that it was also able to financially protect many of its clients from fees imposed by suppliers, waiving costs fully or partially where possible. And when Amsterdam was one of the first airports to reopen, the DMC assisted in transporting rerouted travellers to their final destinations in Europe.
When the airport in Riga closed, Baltic Travel Group arranged bus services for seminar participants from Moscow within a two-hour turnaround. Guests arrived in plenty of time to catch an already-scheduled ferry to Stockholm. And, in addition to special rates and protections, Baltic Travel Group extended credit for guests requiring emergency extensions.
Volcanoes are not the only worries either. In early May, news of Ôausterity measures’ - which increased VAT and reduced entitlements - in Greece sparked general strikes and violent demonstrations. Conceptours skillfully avoided the strikes by transferring a VIP incentive group from Athens to the island of Santorini on a high-speed hydrofoil.
When it comes to adverse conditions, the situation in each destination is unique. In each of these cases, DMCs were able to use their in-depth knowledge of services in their own land to provide creative solutions to big problems. The logistical know-how and powerful negotiating position with suppliers that local DMCs possess can help minimise adverse financial impacts from unforeseeable events.
And since they offer on-site presence, emergency contacts, and an intense dedication to creating safe, unforgettable experiences for guests - even during the worst-case scenario - the value of a local DMC goes beyond the bottom line. They offer planners and guests the local expertise and piece of mind that comes with being in the most capable hands.
