Destinations International, the world’s largest resource for official destination organizations and convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs), today announced the new Destination Booking Agreement (DBA) at IMEX America.

With the announcement comes the launch of a toolkit which establishes mutually agreeable terms to protect both the destination and the business events strategist.

Destinations International’s Large Market Roundtable is comprised of large market destination representatives, and the group has been leading the conversation for the need for convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs) and business events strategists to work together to have accountability for the booking of meetings and events since 2019.

Destination organizations are responsible for being stewards of the product they represent and for maximizing success for all stakeholders. Last minute cancelations for city-wide events create a hardship for destination organizations who must fill these voids.

“The need for CVBs and business events strategists to come together to create best practices for destination booking agreement guidelines has been an ongoing conversation for our industry,” said Don Welsh, president and CEO of Destinations International. “Destinations International’s Large Market Roundtable has done great work to take the lead on this thought leadership that will ultimately enhance our entire industry moving forward.”

“Thanks to the work of the Large Market Roundtable and industry partners, there is now a level of accountability for both parties involved, creating the foundation for a legitimized exchange of goods and services within business events when a destination is selected,” said Melissa A. Riley, vice president, convention sales and services, Destination DC and chair of the Destinations International Large Market Roundtable. “The new standards will help us all continue to strengthen the meetings and events industry as we focus on the positive economic and social impact they bring to our respective destinations.”

“DBAs allow destinations to clearly articulate and itemize dates, rates, space and any incentives or concessions offered to clients to secure their business,” said Junior Tauvaa, chief sales officer, Visit Anaheim. “Destination International has contributed to standardizing these documents while allowing each destination organization to localize it based on their respective destinations.”

“I am excited for this journey and look forward to our industry getting to a place where our contractual agreements are equitable for all – for both suppliers and event organizers,” said Dustin Arnheim, senior vice president of sales and services at Choose Chicago. “It is imperative that our customers feel equally protected within our agreements – from securing dates to making concessions legally binding. I also see the DBA as an important communication tool. There continues to be significant turnover in our industry. Capturing the destination organization’s commitments in the DBA prevents anything from being lost or misinterpreted when new staff come on board.”

The following Large Market Roundtable Members spoke at the press conference: