How to request quotes from a DMC

Working with DMC’s (destination management companies) is a great way to ensure that you maximize your revenue on custom trips, as well as enhance your offerings in international destinations. You can find a list of partner DMC’s on Internova’s In-Country Partner list, or you can request advice from our advisor community. 

Building meaningful relationships with your preferred DMC partners will allow you to unlock even more valuable planning resources. Start off strong by sending robust, descriptive and informative requests. This allows your DMC partners to best tailor their services to meet the needs of your clients. We’ve included an example request below. Remember to make it your own and embrace your role as your client’s valuable asset for travel planning.

Example:

Subject: Mr. and Mrs. Smith, August 2024, Rome, Florence & Amalfi Coast 

Dear Marco, 

I hope this message finds you well! How is the weather in beautiful Milan?

My name is Ragan Stone and I am a travel advisor at Nicer, an agency branch of Internova/GTC. I was referred to you by my colleague, Chris Gentilini, who had exceptional things to say about your services! 

I am in the process of planning an exciting trip for new clients of mine, Mr. and Mrs. Smith. They are hoping to travel in the first two weeks of August 2024, their dates are flexible. Although these are new clients, they are frequent travelers and I am really excited to earn their business – so I look forward to seeing if we can create an exceptional experience for them! Mrs. Smith is a nationally published interior designer and has a penchant for antiques and Renaissance-style artwork, she loves exploring museums and local markets. Mr. Smith is an attorney by day but enjoys gardening as a hobby. He may be interested in exploring landmarks like Villa Borghese. I’ve included a summary of their needs below:

• Travel Dates: First two weeks of August 2024 
• Group Size: Two adults
• Type of Travel: Adult getaway, their children are both in college 
• Accommodation Preferences: They like luxury hotels, five-star and prefer a Junior Suite or Suite. Since Mrs. Smith is an interior designer, preference is towards hotels with unique or sophisticated design. Please let me know if you can pass through preferred partner amenities or if I should book hotels separately. 
• Transportation Needs: Please include private transportation to and from the airports, train stations and VIP Meet and Greet on arrival at the airports. 
• Preferred Activities and Excursions: They would like full and half-day tours, but still time for leisure. They are interested in all of the main highlights of Rome and definitely want a private boat charter while in Amalfi. They are active but do not like overly adventurous activities and prefer to stick to art and culture. 
• Special Requests: Mrs. Smith specifically asked if there were any private ateliers available to see, since she is an interior designer. 
• Budget: They did not specify a budget for this trip, but let’s try to stay within $20,000. 

I appreciate your attention to detail and would also welcome any recommendations you might have that could enhance the travel experience for our clients.

Could you please provide a timeline for when I may receive a quote and itinerary? 

Thank you, talk to you soon!

Ragan

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