• Did Natalie do complete job?
• What would you have done differently?
• What else would you have done?

CASE STUDY . . . Working with a DMC Natalie works for a professional association of financial managers in Chicago and has booked her conference of 1,000 participants for the late spring in San Diego. This is the first time the event or Natalie have been to that destination. To familiarize herself with the city she arranged for a site visit where she was escorted around the town by a member of the sales team of the San Diego Tourism Authority, the city's destination marketing organization (DMO). They visited many hotels, attractions, special event venues, and golf courses, and discussed ways in which the authority could be supportive in helping to market the conference to her membership. The DMO also provided her with a directory of member suppliers (tour and transportation companies, golf courses, decor companies, event venues other than hotels, and restaurants). Prior to signing hotel contracts, she worked with the DMO in narrowing the hotel venue down to four properties where she eventually chose two to host the conference. Now that Natalie had firm dates and a location for her program she began to think about a number of special events and activities her planning committee had recommended. As she thought about it and the additional workload involved, it became clear that she needed a partner in this endeavor. The DMO could only point her in the direction of suppliers. They were not planners and, to be fair to all of their members, they could not negotiate contracts or recommend one supplier over another. It was then that Natalie turned to a destination management company (DMC). She referred to the DMO's membership directory, asked for recommendations from industry colleagues, and sent a request for proposal (RFP) to her top three DMC choices. Natalie was planning the following: . A golf tournament where she needed a golf course, transportation, awards, tournament planning, continental breakfast, lunch, and on-site supervision. An adventure tour: In previous years they had done desert jeep tours, horseback riding, and swamp tours with airboats. She needed venue recommendations, transportation, a place for lunch, and supervision. . An opening reception held at one of the hotels, needing theme decor and entertainment. A historical cultural tour of the city requiring a planned route, bus transportation, qualified tour guides, and on-site supervision . Two VIP dinners at high-end restaurants for 35 people each on two different nights. A private room was required. Floral arrangements needed to be ordered, and transportation provided. . Private transportation for the President, Chairman of the Board, and a keynote speaker to and from the airport. Once the DMC's proposals arrived, and after a careful review, Natalie chose to interview two of them during a site visit to San Diego. The DMCs met with Natalie, clarified the objectives and the audience for each event and used their expertise of the city to develop a total program for the association. Rather than Natalie having to manage negotiations and contracts for each of these events and the many suppliers, she turned to a DMC as a one-stop shop. She was able to develop a trusted partnership where the DMC became her eyes and ears in San Diego. In essence, she hired an event planner for herself. Send a chat 1. Did Natalie do a complete job? 2. What would you have done differently? 3. What else would you have done? 5:13 1 O 92 FEB C 20 itv