Often, travel programs run smoothly and, even when professionals are working tirelessly behind the scenes, it can be easy to forget the value that Destination Management Companies (DMC) 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, Eyjafjallajökull, 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 travelers.
Here are some concrete examples:
- 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 also learned they were 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 was able move busses in from Germany and Slovakia in order to transport travelers home from Istanbul.
- Meanwhile, Amiel Destination Management in Israel, through its strong relationships with local properties, negotiated special rates on hotel extensions for travelers unable to return from the Holy Land. These relationships also allowed Amiel to reschedule some groups’ hotel and tour arrangements without fees or to ensure that costly cancellation penalties would be covered by their contracts with suppliers.
- Holland Experts in Amsterdam reports that it was also able to financially protect many of their clients from fees imposed by suppliers, waiving costs fully or partially where possible. And when Amsterdam was one of the first airports to reopen, they assisted in transporting rerouted travelers to their final destinations in Europe.
- When the airport in Riga closed, Baltic Travel Group arranged bus services for seminar participants from Moscow with a 2 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 “austerity 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 islands 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 each euromic DMC possesses can help minimize 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 euromic 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…
