Meeting News - July 21, 2008 - (Page 16)

CVBs Destination Marketing Association International’s accreditation program to establish performance standards among convention and visitors bureaus and other destination management organizations has grown to nearly 60 certified members since its January 2007 debut. “There’s been a long cry about the lack of consistent service from DMO to DMO, so we established mandatory and voluntary standards to provide assurance that DMO services and operations are at a world-class level,” said Doug Price, DMAI’s senhealthy mix of large, midsize, and small CVBs. That the Orlando/Orange County CVB was part of the latest class of 12 bureaus to receive the accreditation—joining already accredited high-profile organizations like the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority, Destination DC, and the Greater Miami CVB—indicates zealousness for DMAI’s program. But for the smaller members, being part of the DMAP membership lends big-time credibility. “Where I see [the DMAP] being played out is at [industry] trade By William Ng william.ng@nielsen.com DMAI’s CVB Accreditation Program Is Steadily Gaining Steam “There’s been a long cry about the lack of consistent service from DMO to DMO.” —Doug Price, senior VP of professional development, DMAI, of the impetus for the DMAP initiative “Planners will encounter more accredited CVBs; it could give us a competitive edge.” —Deb Archer, president and CEO, Greater Madison (WI) CVB, which recently received DMAP accreditation ior VP of professional development, who gave MeetingNews an update of the program. Thus far, the list of 58 Destination Marketing Accreditation Program members—the list can be viewed at www.destinationmarketing.org—is a shows. I’ll walk the aisles, and the smaller DMOs have the accreditation seal on their booths,” said Price. One of the newest members, the Greater Madison (WI) Convention & Visitors Bureau, is eager to use its new DMAP badge as much internally as it will with meeting buyers. “It makes our staff proud,” Deb Archer, president and CEO of the GMCVB, told MN. “It’s a motivational factor for our employees, knowing they work for an organization that strives for best practices and high standards. I think it was great thing for DMAI to [start this program], because we’ll have some standardization.” The GMCVB, which has a staff of 28 and a budget of $3.2 million, applied for accreditation at the end of 2007. It submitted extensive documentation affirming its conformance to standards in 16 DMAIdefined areas, including governance, finance, management and facilities, group services, innovation, and destination development. The full criteria can be viewed on DMAI’s website. In early June, the GMCVB got its Houston CVB’s Promotional Film Is Honored A 12-minute promotional video created by the Greater Houston Convention & Visitors Bureau has won an accolade in the public relations industry. The short film, “One Day in Houston,” took home the Public Relations Society of America’s Bronze Anvil Award of Commendation in early June, at PRSA’s annual awards gala in New York City. “One Day in Houston” spotlights the city’s neighborhoods and attractions—from culinary, to shopping, 16 MeetingNews July 21, 2008 to its arts district, to nightlife, in a day-to-night timeline—and features insights about the Texas destination from luminaries like boxing great George Foreman. Shot by Zen Film, the short germinated into GHCVB’s full-blown, celebrity-laden “My Houston” campaign. A Spanish version, “Mi Houston,” was later created for the Latin American markets. “One Day ” was honored for “design and execution of an individual public relations tactic within a broader public relations campaign,” according to 32,000-member PRSA. The film can be viewed on YouTube via keyword search. Nearly 900 “individual public relations tactics” were entered into 63 categories and subcategories— such as media kits, newsletters, podcasts, and blogs—for the 2008 awards competition. PRSA awarded one Bronze Award and two Commendation awards for each category or subcategory. accreditation, which lasts four years for all members before they need to recertify. An 11-member review board examines DMAP applications three times a year. “It’s a rigorous process; everything from governance to having proper technology and emergency communications [is scrutinized],” Archer said. “It’s really a soup to nuts look at our everyday practices. What [DMAI is doing] is not necessarily dictating what CVBs do, but establishing expectations and best practices.” Archer said her bureau will look to have the DMAP seal and information about the accreditation on its website and in its marketing collateral within the next two months. “[Planners] will respond as they encounter more accredited CVBs and become familiar with the DMAP; it could give us a competitive edge down the road,” she said. “That was why it was so important for us to [gain accreditation].” Price acknowledged that word of the accreditation program hasn’t yet hit the meeting planning community, but he is confident that it will soon reach critical mass. Approximately 20 more CVB candidates will be reviewed at the end of August. “It’s going to take time to catch on,” he said of the DMAP. “I think once we get to 100 [members]—not that it’s a magic number—planners will look for the seal, and ask why if a DMO doesn’t have it.” r www.meetingnews.com http://www.destinationmarketing.org http://www.meetingnews.com

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Meeting News - July 21, 2008

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