Global DMC Partners Alternatives for Event Planners

The short list

Global DMC Partners alternatives fall into a few groups: a local planner in one US region, other networks of DMCs, DMC companies with their own US offices, and an association directory. Here are the eight options we would consider first, with the reason each might suit you. Vantly publishes this page and lists itself first; the other options follow in alphabetical order.

1. Vantly, if your event is in one US city or region and you want a local planner who works there.
2. Access, if you want a national DMC team that offers one contract across its US locations.
3. ADMEI, if you want to search accredited DMC members yourself.
4. Cohera, if you want a coast-to-coast DMC that grew through a merger of three companies.
5. DMC Network, if you want member-owned local DMCs in over 100 destinations.
6. Hello!, if you want a US DMC with its own offices in each of its regions.
7. Hosts Global, if you want a global collection of DMCs and an RFP-based start.
8. PRA, if you want a US event company with 32 U.S. offices.

Why teams look beyond Global DMC Partners

Teams searching for Global DMC Partners alternatives are usually comparing one large network of destination management companies (DMCs) with other ways to hire local expertise. Global DMC Partners calls itself the "largest global network of hand-picked Destination Management Companies". Its home page shows "500+ Destinations, 100+ DMCs" and reports "12,000+ OPERATED PROGRAMS".

Its contracting page lists "Three Options Based On Your Needs": a Standardized DMC Contract, Master Services Agreements, and a contract-and-payment route through GEC Processing, a company it created for clients with intricate vendor onboarding and payment protocols.

Teams usually look at alternatives when the event is in one US region or a few US cities, when they want to compare a network of independent DMCs with a company that has its own offices, or when they want to browse members on their own. For background, see our guide to what a DMC is and our list of the best DMC networks in the US.

1. Vantly: a local planner for one US region

Vantly is a procurement partner that connects companies with local event planners across the US. Instead of starting with a global network, you start with a planner who works in the region where your event happens. Its network has more than 1,000 local planners, and you can read how it works with local partners on its DMC network page.

How it works

1. You share one brief with dates, headcount, region and needs.
2. Vantly matches that brief with a local planner, who produces a turnkey event proposal with prices. We send it within 48 hours, at no cost. Any price still waiting on a vendor's confirmation is marked as an estimate.
3. From there, your local planner handles the venues and vendors, and you deal only with Vantly instead of many small vendors, with clear, structured invoices that are easy to reconcile. You sign one contract with Vantly.

You can browse local planners by city in the Vantly planner directory.

Vantly publishes this page and lists itself as the #1 pick, so read this entry with that in mind.

Best for: teams planning an event in a specific US city or region who want a planner with local knowledge of its venues and suppliers.

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2. Access: a national DMC team with local experts

Access says that after "55 years of redefining what it means to be a Destination Management Company", it is now transforming and elevating events. Its about page calls its people "local experts with a national reach" and its locations page invites you to explore an interactive map of its locations across the country.

On its about page, Access says its national team works with local experts to provide "consistency, program knowledge and one contract". It also describes itself as "the only majority women-owned and led national DMC".

Best for: teams that want one national DMC team to coordinate programs in several US locations under a single agreement.

3. ADMEI: an association directory of DMC members

Its Find a DMC Member page lets you filter by member type, either Accredited DMC or DMC Company Member, and by location, either State/Province or Country.

To become accredited, its accreditation page asks a DMC for evidence of "general liability coverage in the amount of $2 million" and a representative sample service contract, among other items.

Best for: teams that like to research and approach DMCs directly and want to filter by accreditation or location.

4. Cohera: a coast-to-coast DMC formed from three companies

Cohera says it was "born from the merger of CSI DMC, 360DG and Destination South DMC" and that for "over 45 years" it has helped organizations bring their people together. Its site banner notes that Cohera, formerly 360DG and CSI DMC, acquired Destination South DMC to expand its footprint in the Southeast.

Cohera's menu lists services including Hospitality & Staffing, Tours & Activities and Transportation, and a Request a proposal button sits in its navigation. Its story page says its footprint "spans coast-to-coast".

Best for: teams that want a single DMC name across many US cities, including the Southeast and the West Coast.

5. DMC Network: a member-owned community of local DMCs

The DMC Network describes itself as "the meeting industry's only fully member-owned community of destination management companies", "operating in over 100 destinations".

Its about page says the network offers "a single access point to unsurpassed local knowledge and expertise". Its destinations menu is organized into six regions: Asia Pacific, Caribbean, Central & South America, Europe, Middle East & Africa and North America, and it publishes an A-Z list of members.

Best for: teams that want to work with a member-owned local DMC in each destination and compare members by region.

6. Hello! Destination Management: wholly-owned offices across the US

Its destinations page lists 15 regions, including Arizona, Colorado, Chicago, Boston, Las Vegas, Nashville, New York and Washington, D.C., with service locations such as Phoenix, Scottsdale, Sedona, Denver and Vail.

Hello! groups its work into Destination Logistics (dining, hospitality staff, tours and activities, transportation) and Destination Design (event design, entertainment production, story development, teambuilding). Its home page invites you to "just say Hello!".

Best for: teams planning US programs in one of its listed regions who want a DMC with its own local office.

7. Hosts Global: a global collection of DMCs with RFP intake

Hosts Global says that since "inception as USA Hosts" in 1958 it has been in business for "more than 60 years", and that in 2011 it expanded its reach to 6 continents. Its home page cites "a deep local presence in over 450 destinations".

Its about page says it guarantees "a 24-hour (or less) client response time" and a consistent site inspection policy, and a Submit RFP button sits in its navigation.

Best for: teams with a global or multi-region program who want to start with an RFP.

8. PRA: a nationwide network of local event experts

PRA says that "For 40+ years", leading brands have trusted it to design business events. Its about page adds that it now has "32 U.S. offices and global partners".

Its home page describes "a nationwide network of local experts" that leverages the power of place.

Best for: teams planning US events who want a company with its own offices in many states.

Comparison at a glance

This table puts six options side by side on the same questions. Figures are the companies' own statements.

Cohera, PRA and ADMEI are covered in the entries above. A published figure is not a promise for your event, so confirm current terms with each company.

Which option fits which job

A scenario: a procurement lead planning three events in one year

Picture a procurement lead at a 400-person company who needs destination support for three events: an incentive trip abroad, a kickoff in Chicago and a regional meeting in Nashville. She wants to know whether to use one provider for all three or a different one for each.

For the trip abroad, Global DMC Partners, Hosts Global and DMC Network each list destinations on several continents. For Chicago and Nashville, Hello! lists both as regions, and Vantly could match each event with a local planner in that city. Asking each company how it contracts and how it handles insurance usually makes the comparison clearer.

How to choose

Start with where the events take place. If they span several countries, Global DMC Partners, Hosts Global and DMC Network are built for that, and you can compare how each says it vets partners. If they are in the US, Access, Cohera, Hello! and PRA each describe offices or destinations across the country. If you like to research on your own, ADMEI's member search lets you filter by location. If your event is in one US region and you want a planner who knows it, Vantly is built around that. Whichever you shortlist, confirm insurance and contract terms before you decide.

Frequently asked questions

What does Global DMC Partners do?

Global DMC Partners calls itself the "largest global network of hand-picked Destination Management Companies". Its home page shows 500+ destinations and 100+ DMCs, and its DMCs page says its partners are independently owned and locally operated.

How does Global DMC Partners handle contracting?

Its contracting and payment page lists three options: a Standardized DMC Contract, Master Services Agreements, and a contract-and-payment route through GEC Processing. Ask each alternative how it contracts, since terms differ by company.

Which Global DMC Partners alternatives are networks, and which are companies?

DMC Network describes itself as "fully member-owned community of destination management companies", and Hosts Global calls itself a global collection of DMCs. ADMEI is an association with a member directory. Hello! says it has "wholly-owned offices", and PRA says it has "32 U.S. offices". Access and Cohera describe locations and destinations across the US.

Which alternatives publish insurance or accreditation standards?

Global DMC Partners lists a minimum of $2,000,000 in liability insurance for its partners, with exceptions for specific country laws. ADMEI's accreditation page asks for evidence of $2 million in general liability coverage. Hosts Global says it carries "insurance minimums beyond industry standards" and requires the same from its supplier partners.

How is Vantly different from a DMC network?

You share one brief with dates, headcount, region and needs. Vantly matches it with a local planner for your destination, and you sign one contract with Vantly. Vantly publishes this page, so compare it with the others using the tables above.

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Tell us what you're organizing, and a local planner can come back with a proposal. Get a custom quote, or browse local planners by city first.