DMC Network Partners Win Multiple Achievement Awards at ADMEI 2018

DMC Network Partners Win Multiple Achievement Awards at ADMEI 2018

The DMC Network is proud to announce that four of its partners have been honored at this year’s ADMEI Achievement Awards.
The Awards Gala took place on Saturday evening, February 10th in the Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel. Appearing throughout the categories of Achievement, Excellence and Recognition, the following DMC Network partners were awarded as best in class:

Destination Management Professional of the Year: Shannon Gardner, DMCP, Accent Indy, a DMC Network Company, Indianapolis, IN
Excellence in Entertainment Production: Play Like a Kid – Party Like an Adult – Welcome to Camp Ignite, Destination South Meetings + Events, Atlanta, a DMC Network Company, Atlanta, GA
Best Innovative Event $100,001 – $200,000: Bathing Man Event, Destination Tahoe Meetings & Events, a DMC Network Affiliate, Lake Tahoe, CA
Best Teambuilding Activity: Teambuilding with Sponsors, Stations & Sweets| Mosaix Group, a DMC Network Affiliate, Charlotte, NC
Speaking on the awards, DMC Network Managing Director, Dan Tavrytzky said “ADMEI is the global voice of the destinations management industry- their standards, reputation and support for innovation are the benchmark for any DMC. To see so many of our partners recognized at this year’s Achievement Awards was an extremely motivating start to the year, and a great validation for the DMC Network that we are represented by the best of the best in each of our destinations.’’
‘’We are thrilled to see such a strong achievement from our DMC Network partners this year’’ said Matt Cuevas, 2018 Chairman of the DMC Network board. ‘’We are constantly benchmarking ourselves against the highest of industry standards and achieving such strong recognition over the weekend is a great win for the DMC Network brand. We were delighted to have so many of our partners in attendance to celebrate together – a win for one of us is a win for all of us!’’

The 2019 ADMEI Annual Conference and Achievement Awards Gala will be taking place at the Four Seasons hotel in Houston, Texas next February.

About the DMC Network, LLC
The DMC Network brings connection to a community of accredited, owner-managed DMCs whose unsurpassed local relationships, knowledge and expertise offer peace of mind and consistent program delivery. Unique in the industry, the DMC Network is an LLC of the top-performing, independently owned DMCs throughout North America. With an average of over 25 years in business and more than twice as many accredited DMCs as any other DMC consortium or company, each DMC Network member delivers unsurpassed knowledge of their market and a confidence that they are a sound, professional organization that consistently exceeds clients’ expectations. With an insider’s knowledge, the DMC Network makes it effortless for their clients to produce meetings and events around the world.
www.dmcnetwork.com

About ADMEI
ADMEI is the global voice of the destination management industry and the premier resource for education, standards and best practice. ADMEI has a global presence and a respected reputation for sharing the value of DMCs to both internal and external stakeholders. Members collaborate to define and advance new initiatives and also look to ADMEI for advances impacting the destination management industry. ADMEI is the trusted partner in the certification of destination management professionals and the accreditation of destination management companies. The Owners, CEOs and executives that make up its membership are from the most experienced and long-standing destination management companies in existence.
ADMEI establishes DMC standards and best practices, supports excellence and ethical business practices and promotes the value of destination management companies to the meetings industry. It offers the Destination Management Certified Professional® (DMCP) program based on the DMC Competencies, the Accredited Destination Management Company® accreditation, and publishes Best Practices in Destination Management.

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#DMC #ADMEI #DMCnetwork #MICEnews #MICEnetwork

The DMC Network Celebrates Third Annual Exchange in Indianapolis, Indiana

The DMC Network Celebrates Third Annual Exchange in Indianapolis, Indiana

The Third Annual DMC Network Exchange took place August 23 – 26, 2017 with 110 clients and DMC Network partners coming together in the wonderful city of Indianapolis, Indiana. Accent Indy, the DMC Network partner for the destination, created and hosted the group in their hometown state.

Previously held in Los Cabos and Lake Tahoe, the three-day educational and networking event included unique experiences at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway where guests were invited to ride around the track with professional drivers and kick a field goal at Lucas Oil Stadium. Attendees also got to experience ‘Indy like a local’ through a variety of planned afternoon activities that included a bike tour and Segway tour through Indy’s cultural trail, visiting top local Breweries and golfing in the sunshine, to name just a few. In addition, the DMC Network partnered with Teachers Treasures to create a give-back experience for the attendees that provided much needed school supplies and backpacks to the community of Indianapolis.

Educational sessions on the US Economy with Economist Chris Kuehl and a panel discussion with Michael Dominguez (Chief Sales Officer of MGM Resorts International), Leonard Hoops, (President and CEO of Visit Indy), Kevin Hinton, (Chief Executive Officer for SITE) and Darrell Tamosuinas, (President of Teneo Hospitality Group) on crisis management, current trends and destination marketing ensured both DMC Network partners and their clients were given plenty of food for thought.

The city of Indianapolis truly shone during the program with exceptional dining experiences at St. Elmos and Char Blue as well as signature themed evening events including Indypalooza and a Classic 80’s dinner with guest appearances by “Prince” and “Michael Jackson”!

The DMC Network’s tagline, ‘’We’re there for you!” came into special relief at the event as an expression of each partner’s commitment to their clients but also to their destination. “DMC Network members share a deeply held conviction that our brand promise has to be more than mere lip service. It must be lived out in how we treat our people, our teams, our clients, and particularly, our destination. This clearly means giving back to the communities we depend upon for the work we do” said Dan Tavrytzky, Managing Director of the DMC Network.

Accent Indy President, Shannon Gardiner, DMCP added “In the case of Indianapolis, we invited all of our guests to participate in a healthful “Rise & Shine” program each morning that included walking tours of the city, canal by sunrise and gentle flow Yoga. During the program, several local non-profit associations were invited to meet with the DMC Network team and Industry press in an effort to give profile to the amazing work that is being done locally to make Indianapolis the warm and welcoming city that it is today. Teacher’s Treasures, Dress for Success, Back on My Feet Indianapolis, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful and PUP (People for Urban Progress) were all a part of this year’s program.” At the end of an action packed, thought provoking and truly “purposeful” 3 days, Matt Cuevas, incoming Chair for the DMC Network in 2018 officially announced the destination for the Fourth Annual DMC Network Client Exchange: Panama, June 28th – July 1st 2018.

About Accent Indy
Founded in 1989, Accent Indy provides a complete range of destination management services to corporations, associations and conventions hosting their meeting in Central Indiana. Accent Indy are uncompromising when it comes to acting in the best interest of their clients and partners. From event design and transportation logistics to engaging entertainment and customized activities, they provide strategic solutions to ensure program objectives are met with ease. They specialize in exceeding the needs of their clients with services and products designed to make each program an exceptional and memorable experience.
The Accent Indy team includes the only Destination Management Certified Professionals (DMCP) in Indiana and are the only DMC in the state accredited by the Association of Destination Management Executives International (ADMEI). In addition, Accent Indy is the exclusive Indiana member of the DMC Network; a consortium of independently-owned DMC’s whose memberships are earned through a stringent selection and oversight process ensuring strict adherence to ethical and operation guidelines and quality service.

About the DMC Network, LLC
The DMC Network brings connection to a community of accredited, owner-managed DMCs whose unsurpassed local relationships, knowledge and expertise offer peace of mind and consistent program delivery. Unique in the industry, the DMC Network is an LLC of the top-performing, independently owned DMCs throughout North America. With an average of over 25 years in business and more than twice as many accredited DMCs as any other DMC consortium or company, each DMC Network member delivers unsurpassed knowledge of their market and a confidence that they are a sound, professional organization that consistently exceeds clients’ expectations. With an insider’s knowledge, the DMC Network makes it effortless for their clients to produce meetings and events around the world. Through their alliance with Ovation Global DMC, their reach is extended across five continents. www.dmcnetwork.com

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#site #dmcnetwork #destinationmarketing #destinationnews #MICEnews #MICEindustry

IBTM AFRICA NOW ACCEPTING HOSTED BUYER APPLICATIONS

IBTM AFRICA NOW ACCEPTING HOSTED BUYER APPLICATIONS#

www.ibtmafrica.com/hbapply

Hosted Buyer applications are now being accepted for ibtm africa 2015 (www.ibtmafrica.com), a highly targeted, exclusive event for Africa’s incentives and meetings industry, taking place at the Cape Town Convention Centre from 13 – 15 April 2015.

ibtm africa offers an exclusive opportunity for top level international decision makers to connect and engage with African and Indian Ocean exhibitors including destinations, venues, hotels, DMC’s and MICE support services over three days of one-to-one pre-scheduled appointments, networking and education.

In addition to their diary of up to 36 pre-scheduled business appointments with MICE exhibitors, qualified buyers will benefit from complimentary accommodation and transfers as well as a substantial contribution towards international flights to Cape Town and will have the opportunity to apply to attend a post event tour.

Shinu Pillai, Exhibition Manager for ibtm africa, comments: “Africa holds enormous potential for the MICE industry with great investment in infrastructure. The rapidly growing demand for meetings industry suppliers within Africa has been reflected in the unprecedented interest witnessed from international Hosted Buyers who applied to attend the first ibtm africa and is expected to pave the way for the 2015 event.”

Suresh Puri, Spice Travel, India who was a Hosted buyer at last year’s show commented: “It’s very well organised and full of quality and I see it on both sides not only as a buyer but also the exhibitors, who are representing the region very adequately. So my impression is that the intimate one-to-one sessions give buyers an opportunity and an insight into the products the region has to offer, my compliments to Reed Exhibitions.”

Meetings and incentives professionals who apply to attend this event as Hosted Buyers will be qualified under strict criteria including their purchasing authority, their annual MICE business, their annual budget and future business to place in Africa. They will also be first-time attendees at ibtm africa. Successful applicants will be senior decision makers from the Middle East, Europe, Asia Pacific, North America, South America and Russia, therefore representing a cross-section of the most senior meeting and incentives planners in the industry.

The second edition of ibtm africa, taking place in Cape Town (13-15 April) as part of Africa Travel Week, will bring together up to 60 African and Indian Ocean suppliers and international buyers over three days for business, networking and education.

To find out more about ibtm africa or to register to attend as a Hosted Buyer, please visit www.ibtmafrica.com

 

CONVENE – Baltic Sea Region Exhibition for Meetings, Events and Incentives

2014 CONVENE – Baltic Sea Region Exhibition for Meetings, Events and Incentives
CONVENE is a new business to business two day event for the meetings industry for the countries of the Baltic. It is intended to create an annual international show case for the regional meetings industry and accelerate the interest in, and demand for, holding meetings, incentives and conferences in the region.

Launched by Vilnius Convention Bureau the event offers a fully hosted buyer programme which will accommodate 160+ qualified buyers from whole Europe. Up to 100 exhibitors including convention bureaux, hotels, conference centres, special venues, DMCs, PCOs, specialist suppliers from Lithuania and six other countries of the region (Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Finland, Sweden, Russia) will showcase their meeting products and services. The event will again be supported by a major professional education programme and a series of high quality business networking events. CONVENE will offer a number of fam trips to Lithuania and neighbouring destinations that wish to host the international buyers attending the event.

With a strong focus on education and knowledge, CONVENE aims to equip the buyer and supplier communities with the tools to create more effective meetings and events.

Contacts
Vilnius Convention Bureau Tel. 370 5 212 2599
Fax. 370 5 262 8169 info@convene.lt

UK AND IRELAND ATTEND EIBTM

UK AND IRELAND ATTEND EIBTM
Destinations use Global Event for the Meetings and Events Industry as a Platform to Boost International Exposure

UK and Ireland have confirmed that they will once again be exhibiting at EIBTM (www.eibtm.com) this year. The decision for London & Partners, Visit Scotland and Meet in Ireland to attend the show, supports its strategic business objectives which are to extend its global presence and market the UK and Ireland as a key Meetings and Incentives destination to an international audience.

London and Partners (www.londonandpartners.com) – Stand B35
Barbara Jamison, London & Partners Head of Business Development Europe, commented, “Exhibiting at EIBTM generates about £25m worth of enquiries for London & Partners and our partners. The city has shown that it can deliver events on an unprecedented scale, and a raft of new venues, accommodation and attractions have been developed.

“By exhibiting at the show, we aim to promote London as a top business tourism destination, with a focus on corporate, incentive and association events. It provides a platform to promote the new marketing messages of London, namely, its diversity, innovation, value and the legacy of London. We are also able to introduce partners to market contacts they do not already have whilst gaining market intelligence and competitor information to formulate our overall market strategy.

“We want buyers and visitors to the show to see London as a destination where they don’t have to fly in, have their event and fly straight out again. There are a multitude of attractions to see and activities to do in the city and these can become great reasons to extend a business trip or form part of a social itinerary. London is where people can tap into key markets and network with business professionals that are experts in their field”.

VisitScotland (www.conventionscotland.com) – Stand B60
Amanda Henderson, Meetings and Incentives Marketing Manager, UK & Europe, VisitScotland comments, “Scotland is a destination on the move, offering a globally recognised culture that adds splendour, character and humour to any occasion, and that is supported by a 250-year heritage in hospitality that creates a welcome so deep rooted in the population’s character that its impossible to miss.

“Combine this with a truly breathtaking landscape, a playground of incentive choices – from outdoor pursuits, cultural explorations, geographical delights and world renowned sport – and with an equally enticing contemporary choice of destinations, attractions, hotels and venue’s; Scotland is a country ready-made for the ambitious and demanding event business.”

“2014 is a big year for Scotland, the combination of Homecoming 2014, the arrival of the Commonwealth Games and the return of the Ryder Cup will showcase to the world the many reasons why event organisers choose Scotland. Our world class hospitality, our warm welcome, our abundance of stunning venues, range of accommodation, the most beautiful landscapes in the world, and of course our passion for sport, especially golf, are just some of the many reasons to visit Scotland.”

Meet in Ireland (www.meetinireland.com) – Stand B30
Keith McCormack, Head of Business Tourism and Events, Fáilte Ireland commented,
“Meet in Ireland attends EIBTM each year as the show provides another opportunity to promote Ireland as a MICE destination to international buyers particularly those from our key source markets of US, UK, France and Germany. Our presence at the show gives our Irish trade partners a platform to showcase their business and we pass on as many contacts to our partners as we can.”

“Meeting new buyers who are considering Ireland as an option for their MICE business enables us, as a destination, to convince these buyers that Ireland is the right choice for their group and also gives us an opportunity to introduce new ideas and product to them. Meet in Ireland’s role is to educate buyers on what Ireland has to offer from a MICE perspective and to advise buyers on the best fit for their meeting, conference or incentive programme.”

“EIBTM is an essential event in our annual promotions calendar, it offers a real opportunity for our Irish trade to showcase their products and meet genuine international buyers, it is a win win event for our us as the Tourism Development Authority. The show also provides an opportunity for us to continue to build on our existing relationships with buyers, and also gain knowledge on who our competitors are and what other destinations are doing from a MICE perspective.”

Visit England (www.visitengland.com) – Stand B50

Simon Gidman, Head of Business Visits and Events at VisitEngland, commented:
“Following a hugely successful Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012 and a host of major sporting events on the horizon, including the 2014 British Open, the 2015 Rugby World Cup and the 2017 World Athletics Championships, VisitEngland will be celebrating all things ‘sport’ and showcasing our great event destinations and venues at EIBTM in 2013.”

“As the national tourism organisation for England it is our job to encourage international visitors to our country and given that just over 25% of international spend is by business visitors this is a very important market for us. A recent report suggests that the UK meetings industry is worth an estimated £58 billion to the UK economy and employs over 530,000 people”.

“England is globally recognised as a world leader in meetings and events with a highly skilled and creative industry and after the hugely successful Olympic and Paralympic Games last year, England proved once again that it can host global events at the very highest level. Now we can look forward to hosting more major international events in the years to come whether business, cultural or sporting. England is proud host to the Rugby World in 2015 and getting ready to welcome the World Athletics Championships in 2017″.

“It is also our job to raise awareness of the incredible opportunities for holding business events across the entire length and breadth of our country. Many of our destinations have a proven record of boosting delegate numbers as well as offering excellent facilities and superb value for money. This year at EIBTM VisitEngland has an impressive range of stand partners. These include three of our leading exhibition and convention centres, a number of England’s most exclusive luxury hotels, two of our world class universities, two DMCs and a host of our most successful event destinations. EIBTM provides us with an excellent platform to showcase England as one of the world’s leading destinations for corporate, incentive and association events. Our key messages are around easy access, excellence in key economic sectors – particularly those in the advanced knowledge sectors such as engineering and life sciences – a diverse range of quality venues and our warm English welcome.

“With the arrival of a new heir to the English throne and new developments happening across the country, English tourism has an exciting future to look forward to. At EIBTM we want to give visitors a real taste of what we have to offer!”

EIBTM 2013 will take place from 19th – 21st November, a week earlier than in previous years. The EIBTM Forum will take place the day before the exhibition on 18th November. To find out more about ways to attend, visit www.eibtm.com/attend

ECM Summer School now qualifies for Certified Meetings Professional credits…

ECM Summer School now qualifies for Certified Meetings Professional credits…
European Cities Marketing (ECM) annual Summer School for the meetings industry ended this year on a particularly high note – the course is now so well respected that future graduates from the school can earn credits towards the highly sought after CMP certification!

Pier Paolo Mariotti, Head of the Summer School faculty and Meeting Manager of EURAC Convention Center in Bolzano said : “I am truly delighted. The entire faculty has been working very hard to achieve this major goal. The Summer School, an ECM initiative, has been an essential step in building industry careers through education over the past 26 years. Certified Meetings Professional (CMP) is highly respected and universally recognized and so the news of CMP credits allows us to take future summer schools to the next level and increase demand. It’s a win-win.”

The 26th Summer School was held this year in host city Dubrovnik from August 25-29, 2012 and was a sell-out success with 61 fortunate students attending.

Ann-Pascale Mommerency from Kortrijk Regional Convention Bureau (Belgium) said : “As new small Convention Bureau we were delighted to get the opportunity through Tourism Flanders to attend the ECM Summer School in the beautiful city of Dubrovnik. The Summer school gave us the chance to meet colleagues from 24 countries and this resulted in an interesting exchange of information and a mixture of visions from people that were all busy in the meeting industry. The workshops and the presentations that we needed to do were a very good practice for us. We welcomed the comments of experts, we try for sure to learn from the output that was giving to us and furthermore we retain that network and time management is crucial in this sector.”

The ECM Summer School curriculum is tailor-made to cover all sectors of the conference industry (convention bureaux, tourist offices, congress and convention centres, hotels, airlines, DMCs, PCOs and Meeting Planners). The faculty consists of top industry experts who share their collective knowledge and experiences about trends in the marketplace, about the structure of the convention business, and above all about how to win business and pursue a successful career in one of the most dynamic and commercial sectors of the tourist industry: Andrea Bauer (Vereint), Julia Bierwirth (CIM), Nalan Emre (IMEX), Paul Flackett (IMEX), Airy Garrigosa (Barcelona), Elisabeth Hansa (Congress Centre Mariazeller Europeum), Cain Leathem (GB Fitness), Rémy Cregut (Montreux Music & Convention Centre), Christian Mutschlechner (Vienna Convention Bureau), Michel Neijmann (IAPCO), Denis Speet (ICCA), Mathias Sondermann (USI), Anne Wallin Rodven (Oslo Convention Bureau), led by the course leader Pier Paolo Mariotti, CMP CMM.

Pier Paolo went on to say : “I am looking forward to the next summer school which will be held in Istanbul from August 24-28, 2013. I have inspected the facilities and we are working already on the programme and the speakers. It is sure to be a big success and probably over-subscribed with the CMP credits news. We are ready for applications……”

*ECM (European Cities Marketing) improves the competitiveness and performance of leading cities of Europe by providing a platform for convention, leisure and city marketing professionals to exchange knowledge, best practice and widen their network to build new business. European Cities Marketing is promoting and linking the interests of more than 120 members from more than 100 major cities in 32 countries.