Global Meetings & Exhibitions Destination Evaluation

Resources Family & friends Professional colleagues Meeting Industry organizations National Tourism Organization's (NTO’s) Destination marketers Hotel Reps & Hotel Marketing Consortia Official web-sites Destination Management Company (DMC’s) Professional Congress Organizer (PCO’s)

Destination Trade Shows Organized by industry organizations and destination marketers One-stop shopping for destinations and support services

Research National Tourist Board for a country Convention & Visitor Bureau for city Traditional and independent sources Hotel Chains Domestic representatives can help with international locations either directly or with a referral Hotel Marketing Consortia Represent independent hotels & groups of hotels and also have domestic agents for international properties Bias toward their properties

Selection Criteria For (DMC) and (PCO) - Seek recommendations and testimonials - Interview candidate Destination Management Company ( DMCs) and Professional Congress Organizer ( PCOs) - Ask for a comprehensive proposal - Ensure that the candidate has an adequate staff, are professional and fluent in your language. - Determine DMC staff allocation. - Ascertain whether the candidate has good rapport with hotel and good contacts - Assess the candidate's liability insurance and staff training in handling emergency situations.

General Selection Criteria and Technology Tools Destination Selection Facility Selection Hotel Facility Selection Halls & Auditoriums Computer-generated graphics Multi-media presentation Interactive response systems High-speed internet & Wi-Fi Name badge with RFID Web conferencing

Audiovisuals Abroad  Shipping equipment vs. renting on-site  Variations in standards & electricity  Rooms barriers & line of sight  Production Media NTSC, PAL, SECAM DVDs may be locked with a regional code Language differences could be a problem