Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI) and European Cities Marketing (ECM) -- the principal associations representing destination marketing organizations (DMOs) in the United States and Europe, respectively -- are collaborating for the first time, they announced yesterday.
Under the terms of a new partnership agreement, the organizations have agreed to work together on education programs that teach their respective memberships about overseas markets.
"Our relationship with DMAI is one of great professionalism. We are very proud of this new milestone and want to congratulate DMAI on its achievements and valuable contribution to the international meetings industry as a whole," Ignasi de Delàs, president of ECM, said in a statement.
The organizations' first collaboration will take place this summer surrounding ECM's annual "Summer School" program, an education conference for DMOs and meeting planners taking place Aug. 22-26 in Vienna, Austria. DMAI will promote the event to its membership and will contribute programming to educate European destinations on trends in North America.
"As [a] first step of our collaboration, we are delighted to include the American perspective in the program of ECM Summer School; this broadens the perspectives offered to the students and outlines ECM development in the meeting industry worldwide," said Heike Mahmoud, convention director of the Berlin Convention Office of visitBerlin and ECM's vice president for the meetings industry.
Concluded DMAI President and CEO Michael Gehrisch (pictured), "The rise in globalization means that industries around the world are becoming increasingly interconnected, and the travel and tourism industry is leading the way. Because of this, it is important for associations such as DMAI and ECM to work together to educate our members on the trends in international markets, and share a common message in promoting the value of our industry to the global economy."
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