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In 1960, in response to meetings and convention planners, a new business was born referred to as ground operators, These local companies
offered basic services, including airport meet and greet, transportation, tours, and recreation (mainly golf) for groups. -
Destination management was coined in 1972
by Phil Lee, founder of California Leisure Consultants -
As a 1991 Successful Meetings magazine cover story proclaimed, “A Cottage Industry Comes of Age!” -
s. Organizations were forced to cut their meeting
(recreation) budgets. Other suppliers like hotels, decorators, and
transportation companies began offering similar services -
During the 1990s, we observed a forceful increase in the reach of nations and the transformation of the destination management industry into a more corporate entity, driven by investments from institutions and venture capitalists. -
At the same time, clients have said they prefer to work with locally owned and operated DMCs. -
The "AIG effect" left companies hesitant to travel across the country for meetings for fear of ridicule in the press. Many DMCs and event planning companies struggled to stay afloat, and some were forced to permanently close their doors.