Selecting a destination management company in an unknown territory can feel like a guessing game. But a new accreditation program by the Association of Destination Management Executives (ADME) is aiming to eliminate the guesswork and create an industry standard for exemplary DMCs.
In December, ADME announced the first 24 DMCs that passed the criteria for its new Accredited Destination Management Company (ADMC) accreditation.
"Our feeling is that this accreditation will validate even further those destination management companies that have attained a certain level of criteria, expertise, and professionalism," said ADME President Ilene Reinhardt, who's also a partner at Access Destination Services, a southern California DMC that earned charter ADMC status.
Reinhardt added that ADME hopes to assist the meeting planning community in selecting the best DMCs to meet their needs.
In the application process, more than 15 accreditation standards are reviewed by one of ADME's commissioners, who are members of the broader meetings industry. The selection process takes place twice a year.
Program standards involve the longevity and stability of the company, commitment to the DMC industry, and service levels to clients. An organization must provide proper business licenses, prove that 80 percent of annual revenues come from destination management services, and confirm that it provides at least four of the five core DMC services, which are special events, event staffing, destination tours, transportation coordination, and group program logistics.
"The impact is almost immediate," said Fran Rickenbach, executive VP of ADME. "Even before we had our first class of accredited destination management companies, we started to receive requests for lists of accredited companies."
The program follows in the footsteps of ADME's six-year-old Destination Management Certified Professional certification program, which distinguishes qualified individuals based on performance and expertise.
"Our hopes are that in the future a meeting planner will select only companies that are accredited," said Nicole Marsh, who chairs ADME's certification and accreditation board.
Marsh is also president of the Denver-based Arrangers, which is among the charter ADMC members.
Each year, ADMCs will have to reaffirm components of their application.
Every three years, organizations must completely reapply. The list of charter ADMCs can be found at www.adme.org.
Originally published January 28, 2008