The Professional in Destination Management (PDM) Certificate Program Explorer

Introduction to the overall structure of the course, key takeaways, and instructors.

By defining what a destination organization is and more importantly, what it does, the learner will understand the purpose, mission, goals, and ultimately the importance in the local community.

Learn about the evolution of destination organizations and their roles in the community as well as the local visitor economy.

The technological advancements within our industry are rapidly increasing the pace of change and creating new opportunities. But not all change and growth for destination organizations is reliant on technology. Destination leaders must continuously look to the future to remain relevant, and the DestinationNEXT study supports destination organizations in that effort.

Destination organizations come in all sizes, structures and funding sources, and domestic organizations fill many roles and serve a variety of customer bases. Your particular organization might fit into one of these types or might be a combination of these structures.

Destination organizations come in all sizes, structures and funding sources, and domestic organizations fill many roles and serve a variety of customer bases. Your particular organization might fit into one of these types or might be a combination of these structures.

Describe the roles and responsibilities of HR, explain the purpose of HR policies and procedures, explain the importance of building a strong organizational culture, list practices for strengthening team management and explain what motivates team members in destination organizations.

Often considered a “non-revenue” generating activity, much like a skeleton, financial policies and practices are the main support structure of the destination organization body. Both financial and non-finance staff need to understand how budgets are created, how audits are conducted and have a general overview of the organization’s practices in order to understand the decision-making process in each division.

Destination organizations are faced with many challenges that can divert time and energy away from their primary mission. The first priority should always be to determine and deliver the needs and desires of the citizens of the destination organization’s community. A well thought out advocacy plan coupled with a strong community relations effort will ensure that priority is met.

Successful market research initiatives allow destinations to benefit from visitor and convention/event conversion, longer lengths of stay and higher spend levels, along with additional economic and community benefits.

The visitor experience is what destination marketing is all about, and developing a list of primary and secondary target markets is critical to planning. Once planning and research are complete, it will be easier to develop and implement a brand for the destination.

A strong sales effort is everyone’s job in a successful destination organization. Without a well-thought-out sales strategy for any customer target market, part of the message will be lost. Sales supports all the other marketing disciplines by adding direct contact with the customer.

Destination organizations depend on technology to meet the needs of their internal and external customers. When used to its fullest potential, technology can support the organization’s day-to-day operations, sales, customer service, and research activities.