• Legal Entity: The destination organization or Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) must be a recognized legal entity.
• Primary Function: Destination marketing and management must be the organization’s core focus.
• Experience: The organization must have at least two years of expertise in destination marketing and management.
• Official Authority: It must serve as the official governing body authorized to provide destination marketing and management services for its jurisdiction.
• Commitment to Standards: The organization must agree to uphold the DMAP Code of Conduct and Accreditation Standards.

Initial Application:

• Organizations must pay the application fee before beginning the application.
• There is no specified timeline or deadline for completing the application once it has been started.

Re-Accreditation: 

• Accreditation Cycles (also known as the organization’s accreditation window) are every 5 years.
  • Applications are due by the end of your accreditation cycle. A 6-month grace period is provided before your application moves into lapsed status.
• To remain in good standing, you must pay the Annual Fee and submit the Annual Report each year prior to the 5-year reaccreditation.
  • Annual reports are due each year, beginning one full year after an organization originally earns accredited status. A 6-month grace period is provided before your application enters lapsed status.  

After application is made, the application goes through four different phases:

• Staff Review
  • DMAP Program Manager provides initial review before sending application to reviewers.
• Awaiting Inquiry
  • If necessary, the application is returned to the applying organization for additional information.
• In DMAP Review (see Application Review + Decision for more information on assessments)
  • The application reviewers evaluate the organization’s application.
  • Each application is assigned two anonymous reviewers.
• In Board Review
  • The final phase before accreditation is awarded; the full DMAP Board hears recommendations from the two reviewers, votes, and approves (or denies) an application by consensus. 

• Want to be recognized at this year’s Annual Convention? Submit your application between October (prior year) and March (current year) to be considered.
• Submitting in April or later? Your accreditation will be on track for recognition at the following year’s Annual Convention.

If being recognized at the Annual Convention is important to you, be sure to follow the recommended timeline.

• Need Additional Information
  • If your application is returned for additional information, this does not mean denial. It simply means one or both of your reviewers are requesting more information on one or more standards. 
  • Your application can be returned and resubmitted as many times as needed.
• Compliant
  • Your reviewers deem the organization compliant with a particular standard.
• Compliant Exemplary
  • Your reviewers believe your organization has gone above and beyond to meet the criteria of this standard.
• Compliant with Opportunities for Improvement (OFI)
  • Your reviewers believe your organization has met the criteria of this standard; however, there are opportunities for improvement.
• Non-Compliant
  • Your reviewers believe your organization has not fully met the criteria, either due to missing documentation, insufficient evidence or failure to adhere to accreditation criteria.
  • If non-compliant standards are identified, the applicant may be allowed to address them.
    • Conditional Accreditation: In some cases, accreditation may be granted with conditions, requiring the applicant to resolve specific non-compliances within a designated timeframe.
    • Deferral or Denial: If significant non-compliances are present and cannot be resolved within the review process, the application may be deferred to a future cohort or denied, requiring resubmission.

Accredited with Distinction

Accreditation with Distinction is designed to honor outstanding destination organizations that exemplify excellence in our industry. To achieve this prestigious recognition, an organization must meet three specific criteria:

1. Meet all 100+ accreditation standards with no standards marked “Compliant with Opportunity for Improvement.”
2. Have at least one standard marked as “Compliant Exemplary,” meaning the documentation submitted is truly outstanding and could be used to set the bar for the industry at large.
3. Meet at least 10 of the 20 Aspirational Standards.