Welcome to the legacy website for the International Association of Convention & Visitor Bureaus (IACVB), the name of Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI) from 1975 to 2005. Its purpose is to advance destination marketing organizations (DMOs) across the world by advocating for the adoption of uniform DMO Gold Standard™ principles that will make DMOs the most important and trusted source of visitor information in the world -- the undisputed travel authority.
The DMO Gold Standard Credo: An official DMO must be a one-stop shop for comprehensive destination information, providing fast, easy and objective answers about all local activities, attractions, guest amenities and services a visitor may wish to experience in the region.
New technology has provided DMOs with an unprecedented opportunity to influence people to travel and customize the best possible experiences. Leveraging local market knowledge and industry connections, DMOs have what it takes to become the most widely recognized resource for travelers. No other entity is prepared to research, organize, update and dispense up-to-the-minute travel information the way a DMO can do it when it reflects Gold Standard compliance.
The Gold Standard was forged in the field and pounded into perfection by the experience of DMO professionals who share a burning desire to see the travel industry succeed and flourish across the globe. As such, the Gold Standard is a moving benchmark that changes with the times to reflect the most important foundation destination marketing practices to serve leisure travelers. This website provides the rationale and methodologies for DMOs to make this transition.
Upgrading to the Gold Standard will require a significant shift in priorities for most DMOs. The industry retains a historical focus on conventions and group travel. Serving as an official one-stop travel information source for visitors has not been a priority, helping to fuel a proliferation of travel information sources. The membership model of many DMOs clearly does not work, either, when information dispensed to visitors excludes non-member organizations.
When all DMOs reflect complete, up-to-the-minute unbiased local travel information with a standardized level of exceptional quality, consumers will be able to rely upon the DMO industry as the first place to turn for information no matter what city, county, state or country they wish to travel to and experience. When all DMOs also reflect the same name like Chambers of Commerce have done, the industry will have reached the pinnacle of its success.
The www.iacvb.org domain was acquired at auction in 2012, seven years following the decision of Destination Marketing Association International to change its name from "International Association of Convention & Visitor Bureaus." With more than 200 incoming links from industry-affiliated websites, the URL continues as a voice for the betterment of DMOs wherever they may exist across the globe. The official website for DMAI is now: www.destinationmarketing.org.
DMO Gold Standard™ is a trademark of Doug Traub. All rights reserved.