Try as they may, travel advisors cannot serve as all things to all clients – and that’s where destination management companies (DMCs) come into play.
For starters, there’s really is no downside to doing business with DMCs if advisors do their homework or rely on recommendations. DMCs can make advisors look like rock stars by creating bespoke excursions (think truffle hunting in Italy), arranging private events at historic landmarks, snagging reservations at in-demand restaurants, arranging after-hours museum tours in venerable galleries and much more.
They also provide benefits such as airport transfers and 24/7 assistance for advisors and their clients.
Trust, Expertise, and Shared Values
“The DMC relationships that matter most to me are built on two things: genuine local knowledge and a clear understanding of what it means for every traveler to feel celebrated rather than just tolerated,” said Scott Wismont of Rainbow Getaways. “When I’m placing a traveler with a ground operator, I’m trusting that partner to represent Rainbow Getaways at every step of the journey.”
Invaluable Local Support
For Jennifer Filling of About the Memories Travel, “the best DMCs act as an extension of the travel advisor, ensuring clients are well cared for from arrival to departure while helping us navigate local logistics, transportation, excursions, and special requests with confidence.”
Here’s a look at a range of DMCs in different regions of the word that veteran advisors would recommend to their colleagues.
AFRICA
South Africa's Kruger National Park (Source: Provided by GAdventures)
andBeyond
Destinations: Botswana, South Africa, Tanzania and more
Recommended by:Jim Welch, Amaze Travel
“While andBeyond operates their lodges in Africa, their DMC business helps design trips across the continent and for various travel sizes – from couples to multigenerational families. Most useful is their knowledge of the safari camps, as they make excellent recommendations for the right fit for clients
Africa is a destination that has some different curveballs in terms of logistics and getting around, but andBeyond helps make this all seamless and easy, and most importantly takes any stress away from the clients.
Proving my belief in andBeyond, we used them for my own family on a 15-person
Great Plains Conservation
Destinations: Botswana, Kenya, South Africa, Zimbabwe
Recommended by: Ralph Iantosca, The Expeditionist
“I appreciate their attention to detail, and I really love who they are as a company; their DNA is amazing. I’ve hit home runs with every client when using their properties. I love to support them for personal reasons, as well, and I’m grateful that they make me look amazing.”
THE CARIBBEAN
Island Routes
Destinations: Antigua, The Bahamas, Barbados, Curaçao, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Turks and Caicos
Recommended by: Carol Carrillo, CC Vacations, an independent affiliate of Alpaca Your Bags Travel and NEST
“What I like about working with Island Routes is how quickly and easily they respond. An email gets questions answered within the day or the next business day. I also appreciate the tour and transfer options they offer. Additionally, their website is effortless to navigate and provides all the information I need.”
Dominican Republic
Renny Travel
Destination: Dominican Republic
Recommended by: Jennifer Filling, About the Memories Travel, Ryan Doncsecz, VIP Vacations
Filling: “Their local knowledge and attention to detail help travelers experience the Dominican Republic beyond the resort gates while maintaining the high level of service that travel advisors expect for their clients.
They understand the value advisors bring to the travel experience and work to strengthen that relationship every step of the way.
One of my favorite touches is their willingness to incorporate the advisor’s branding into the client experience, including adding the agency’s logo to airport welcome signs. This thoughtful detail allows clients to immediately recognize a familiar name upon arrival, creating a seamless transition from the planning process to their destination experience while reinforcing the trusted relationship built before they ever leave home.”
Doncsecz: “Over our many years of partnership, Renny Travel continues to consistently deliver reliable, high-quality service and exceptional destination expertise. Their team is responsive, professional, and highly experienced in managing everything from airport transfers and leisure excursions to complex group programs and destination events.
We appreciate their ability to meet our sometimes wacky needs, while also providing excellent pricing and a website that is very easy to use. Another major benefit is their bilingual staff, which helps our team get the bookings made while also being especially helpful for English-only speaking travelers.”
CENTRAL AMERICA
Costa Rica (Source: Gibert/Adobe Stock)
Namu Travel
Destinations: Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama
Recommended by: Scott Wismont, Rainbow Getaways
“For Costa Rica, Belize and the broader Central American region, Namu Travel Group is my first call. They’ve built the largest luxury DMC network in the region, and their team knows these destinations like locals because many of them are. The access and relationships they bring to the table are simply unmatched.”
True Colombia
Destination: Colombia
Recommended by: Scott Wismont
“True Colombia Travel is my partner for luxury itineraries. They’re locally owned, locally led out of Medellín and deeply committed to authentic experiences that go well beyond the highlights.”
Out In Colombia
Destination: Colombia
Recommended by: Scott Wismont
“When a traveler is specifically looking for an LGBTQ+-focused experience in Colombia, I turn to OUT in Colombia. They’ve been curating gay travel in Colombia since 2016, their team is embedded in the local community, and every trip comes with a dedicated Experience Manager.
Colombia is one of the most progressive countries in Latin America for LGBTQ+ rights, and OUT in Colombia makes sure that fact actually shows up in the experience.”
EUROPE
The Netherlands (Source: National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions/Shutterstock)
Celebrated Experiences
Destination: U.K.
Recommended by: Jim Welch, Amaze Travel
“Chairman Jonathan Epstein and Managing Director Ty Horn and the team are enthusiastic and deeply connected to the destination. They help shape itineraries to the right fit for the clients, whatever the interests and budget might allow. They also have insights to recommend nice touches here or there during the trip that connect clients with the destination in a deeper, meaningful way.”
Curated & Bespoke
Destinations: Austria, Germany and German-speaking regions
Recommended by:Claire Schoeder, Elevations Travel
“I had been working with Thomas Tritschler [Curated & Bespoke Founder] for a number of years when he was at a different DMC. I rely on him to design tours that are not the usual sights. He has arranged paper-making sessions, a Zeppelin excursion, a private organ concert in a church, as well as other bespoke activities. I rely on him to create one-of-a-kind itineraries to make a truly memorable trip.”
The Dutchman
Destinations: Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxembourg
Recommended by: Claire Schoeder
“The Dutchman is a Signature Travel Network Partner and is the only partner I use for these three countries. Each time I work with them, they emphasize learning my clients' interests to propose tours that take them off the beaten path and help them truly get to know the country and its people. The drivers and guides are adaptable, giving my clients the time to make some changes to accommodate their needs each day.”
The view of Florence in winter, with the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. (Source: Adobe Stock / Dan74)
Going2Italy
Destination: Italy
Recommended by: Scott Wismont, Rainbow Getaways
“For Italy, my go-to is Going2Italy. They’re a boutique DMC founded by the Aponte family [owners of MSC Group], so they bring serious industry pedigree alongside real local access. They’re also a member of the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association, which tells me everything I need to know about how they will treat my travelers.”
Queen of Clubs
Destinations: U.K., France, Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Portugal
Recommended by: Ralph Iantosca, The Expeditionist
“I feel their attention to detail, along with the dedicated advisor who understands my business and client portfolio, is the right fit for me. They don’t have minimum spending requirements, so whether you just need a transfer, a jet charter, tickets to Wimbledon or a complex itinerary, they have the relationships to make it happen.
They set up a WhatsApp or text and have a duty manager reach out to the client the day prior about every service booked; they copy me, and they always send a follow-up survey. They also have commission payments with Sion now, which is fast and costs little in fees compared to others. It’s so refreshing to work with a group that understands how I work.”
Your Private Italy
Destination: Italy
Recommended by: Jim Welch, Amaze Travel
“Private Italy President Seth Snider is one of my most trusted partners around the globe. His team is supremely trained and professional, and they execute on so many things for each trip, including drivers, guides, trains and special experiences. Their final documents and details are very helpful for clients and provide the local contacts and phone numbers for the service providers –drivers, guides, boat captains and more.”
MEXICO
Amstar
Destinations: Mexico and destinations throughout the Caribbean
Recommended by: Shonte Tepper Alce, Just Book It Travel, a NEST affiliate
“We love partnering with Amstar because managing travel for hundreds of destination weddings means we need a transportation partner we can truly count on with our eyes closed. Reliable transportation, real-time tracking and 24/7 support give us peace of mind that our guests are in great hands, even when flights change or last-minute adjustments happen. Because after stepping into that Mexican or Caribbean heat, guests want two things: their ride and air conditioning – and in a hurry!”
Aerial view of Chichen Itza. (Source: a_medvedkov/Adobe)
Lomas Travel
Destinations: Cancún, Riviera Maya
Recommended by: James Berglie, Be All Inclusive, Katie Lynn Reynolds, Travelmation, a NEST affiliate
Berglie: “Lomas Travel is family-operated, and it shows in everything they do. The best DMCs aren’t always the biggest ones – they’re the ones who actually care about what happens to your clients after the van drops them off.
Lomas has proven that to us more than once. When clients leave something behind in a transfer vehicle, their team tracks it down and gets it back to them. When I lost a drone somewhere in Akumal, which flew in the middle of a shoot, their team went into town, knocked on doors, asked to go check rooftops and scoured the area looking for it because I had a flight I had to get on. That’s not in our contract – that’s just who they are.”
Reynolds: “Lomas Travel has grown into an essential DMC for my book of business, especially for group travel. Recently, I had an unusual situation and found myself personally using Lomas Travel for their in-destination expertise and assistance! I had lost my laptop at the Cancun airport and messaged my driver, Israel, to ask him what I should do. Almost instantly, he messaged their airport lead, Gabriel, who jumped into action. Gabriel stayed in contact with me via WhatsApp for days! He consistently communicated with the Lomas Travel airport team and kept me updated throughout the process.
In the end, he was able to retrieve my laptop from the security team at the airport and safely return it to a friend from my agency.
I cannot say enough good things about the Lomas Travel team and how valuable it is to have a great DMC in your corner when things can (and will) go south – just like what happened to me!”
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