• June 19, 2026

What do buyers value most in a DMC partner?

What do buyers value most in a DMC partner?

What do buyers value most in a DMC partner? 1024 683 micebook.

Local expertise and trusted relationships remain the most important factors when incentive travel professionals select a destination management company (DMC), according to new research from SITE.

The latest SITE PULSE survey, completed by 286 industry professionals in May 2026, found that destination knowledge and reputation continue to outweigh factors such as technology, organisational scale and financial stability when choosing DMC partners.

Local Expertise and Authentic Insight ranked highest overall, scoring 3.47 weighted points out of five, closely followed by Reputation and Relationships at 3.32. Together, the two leading factors scored more than four-and-a-half times higher on average than the six lowest-ranked criteria. By comparison, Technology and Systems Capability (0.47) and Scale and Organisational Reach (0.40) ranked at the bottom of the list.

The findings suggest that even as incentive travel programmes become more complex and technology plays a growing role in event delivery, buyers continue to place greatest value on destination-specific knowledge, trusted relationships and local insight.

Annette Gregg, CEO of SITE, said: “This SITE PULSE survey confirms something many incentive travel professionals instinctively understand: the value of a great DMC lies in their ability to open up a destination with insight, creativity and confidence.

“Technology, systems and scale all have a role to play, but they do not replace the depth of local knowledge, judgement and relationships that make incentive travel programmes genuinely memorable and effective.”

The survey also revealed some differences between audience groups. Agency respondents ranked local expertise highest, while hotel and supplier respondents were the only group to place reputation ahead of destination knowledge. Corporate buyers placed greater emphasis on creativity, customisation and technology than other buyer groups.

SITE president Hasan Dinc, managing director of ODS Turkey, said the findings reinforce the importance of the human element in destination management.

“A DMC’s value is not simply in knowing which venue to use or which supplier to call,” he said. “It is in understanding the rhythm of a destination, the culture behind it, the people who make it work and the small details that can transform a programme from well organised to unforgettable.”

The findings come as the incentive travel sector navigates rising costs, geopolitical uncertainty and changing attendee expectations, with respondents signalling that authentic local knowledge and trusted partnerships remain the foundations of successful programme delivery.

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