A bit of glitz, a bit of glam, and a whole lot of hard work — that’s what it takes to be a winning DMC. It’s exhilarating to see all of the work that goes into a well-planned, creative, inspiring event pay off well past the program itself.
Destination South Meetings + Events, a partner DMC with a long list of accolades attached to their high-performing team, is certainly no stranger to this feeling! Always a gracious winner, Destination South is quick to say that their award-winning meetings and events are often the result of strong relationships with vendors, suppliers, and other destination partners.
Here are two examples of these award-worthy endeavours, built on a solid foundation of good working relationships and key partnerships.
A Very Merry Team Effort
A 6,000-person stadium event was a huge source of holiday cheer for the Destination South team when its Jingle + Mingle celebration won an Allie Award for Best Corporate Team Effort.
As part of their application, Destination South highlighted their own efforts, along with 11 other vendors that made Jingle + Mingle a truly award-worthy event.
In fact, the true behind-the-scenes “wow” factor of Jingle + Mingle, says Destination South Vice President Lorri McQueary, was the utmost professionalism and commitment of each vendor to pulling off a flawless event.
“This was as close to a flawless event as we have ever been a part of,” says Lorri. “We credit our vendors with producing showstoppers of the night — like a jaw-dropping stage show featuring custom choreography and a gospel choir singing Lizzo tunes — down to the smallest of details, like every single coat finding its way back to its proper owner. Every single person gave their best, and it showed.”
This of course led to an even bigger “wow” impact for guests. Everyone enjoyed the unrivalled access to a gleaming new football stadium, for an event that proved to be the definition of holiday cheer: live and interactive entertainment, a dash of yummy eats, and of course, some spirits to make all things bright!
A Twice-as-Nice Collaborative ADMEI Achievement Award
It’s the unique, most memorable programs that make for award-worthy moments, in Destination South’s experience. And when you’re asked to plan two conferences back-to-back across two continents all in just two months, the accolades feel twice as nice!
Destination South found themselves in this exact scenario when a client sought their guidance in combining two conferences. All of the planning for both events took place in the US, and was then executed in Copenhagen.
DMC relationships were a major factor in Destination South’s success, with this collaborative conference resulting in the team winning an ADMEI Achievement Award for Best Collaboration with their Danish DMC partner — a relationship forged through both DMC presidents’ ADMEI service.
Calling on this trusted DMC partner ensured that multiple days of conference programming ran smoothly from start to finish. Insights from the Danish-based DMC helped Destination South make the best use of congress center space, take an interactive evening event from rendering to reality, and tap into local relationships to seamlessly transport attendees around Copenhagen. Collaboration even extended up through the final bill, with invoices needing to be settled up in two currencies.
“We are thankful to our client for entrusting us with these programs and for our newfound relationship with our Denmark partner,” says Lorri, sharing her final thoughts on the event’s success. “We are also appreciative of ADMEI creating the space for these relationships to flourish.”
If you’re inspired to follow in Destination South Meetings + Events footsteps, reach out to the team for more insights on crafting a successful event or meeting.
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