What's a DMC?

What’s a DMC? Yes, it’s probably just another entry into my alphabet soup list of acronyms in the travel industry. I realize every industry, as well as every society, has more and more acronyms and at times it really does look like alphabet soup. Well if you remember the 80’s you’ll think it’s a band (Run DMC), and if you look in today’s urban dictionary you think its “deep meaningful conversation.” Urban dictionary is where you find all the meanings for phrases like: LOL, BRB, TBT, and TTYL. But again, if you remember the 80’s, it was just really BYOB. Anyway, back to my point… DMC for our purposes is Destination Management Company. This phrase refers to our valued and dependable travel partners that are based in the cities and countries our clients travel to.

We have cultivated fantastic partnerships with some very knowledgeable people around the globe. We can depend on these people to arrange, monitor, and provide great services and benefits around the globe. While we also have a great network of partners based in the United States, there’s nothing better than asking someone that has grown up and currently lives in the destination to assist us in better meeting your unique travel expectations.

I would like to share an example of what a DMC recently did for a few of our clients traveling to South East Asia. Over the course of an 18-day vacation there were 70 different aspects of the trip that were arranged by a few of our DMC partners. They helped plan things like private dinners, a unique biking tour, and morning tea at a local’s home. Everything was flawlessly delivered, with exceptional service, fantastic guides, and in a manner that exceeded the travelers’ expectations. Additionally, throughout the entire trip a local manager from each office called the guide to speak with the guests to make sure everything was going as expected (or better).

Another surprise the DMC provided was a local SIM card that allowed our clients free internet as they traveled through South East Asia. Sometimes the benefits of a DMC don’t come preplanned; sometimes the benefits come when something may need immediate attention. As we all know when traveling sometimes things happen beyond our control. In this case there was an extended flight delay which caused a missed tour, a change in transfer, and a change in arrival time at the hotel. Our DMC provided a direct line to their office (for each country visited) for on-the-road assistance. With one call everything was adjusted to reflect the airline delay, and the clients continued with their day.

Over the years we have developed a very large network of partners that we’ve worked with and are confident can deliver! The relationships we have with our DMCs cannot be created electronically, and most of the things we have access to through them cannot be found online. The world is an amazing place to explore, and there’s nothing to make your exploration better than using the right partner to assure you get the customized trip you expect – from a budget stay in India to a luxury trip through Cambodia – our DMCs have you covered!

Written by Steve Orens, President, Plaza Travel

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