A destination management company (DMC) can earn year-round revenue by running its own branded marketplace for the destination it already knows. DestinationCommerce, powered by DropDesk, is the platform built for that: the DMC's trusted suppliers list tours, excursions, transfers and dining under the DMC's brand, travelers book directly, and the DMC earns an agreed share of every booking, not only when a group, incentive or event program is running.
Why is DMC revenue so seasonal?
Most DMC revenue is earned one program at a time. A DMC designs and runs meetings, incentives, conferences, events and group trips, and earns fees and margins on each one. When group and event demand is strong, revenue is strong. Between programs, the DMC's most valuable assets sit mostly idle.
The Association of Destination Management Executives International (ADMEI) defines a DMC as "a professional services company located in its destination" that "specializes in local expertise and resources" (ADMEI). Those assets don't stop being valuable between programs:
- Supplier relationships. Transport providers, excursion operators, restaurants, venues and entertainment companies.
- Quality judgment. Knowing which providers deliver consistently, and which don't.
- Operating expertise. Coordinating complex visitor experiences every week.
The question is how to put that network to work every day of the year. (New to the term? Read what a DMC is in travel.)
What are the options for selling local experiences year-round?
A DMC has three realistic ways to sell its destination outside group programs. They differ in whose brand the traveler sees, who sets the terms and who earns.
| Option | How it works | Whose brand | Who earns on each sale | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| List on a global OTA (Viator, GetYourGuide) | The DMC or its suppliers list inside a worldwide catalog | The OTA's | The OTA takes a commission | Big reach, but the DMC's curation becomes one listing among thousands |
| Sell through suppliers' own booking engines (FareHarbor, Bókun, Rezdy) | Each operator sells its own products on its own calendar | Each operator's | The operator | Works for one operator; doesn't package a destination |
| Run your own destination marketplace (DestinationCommerce) | Many curated suppliers sell under the DMC's brand, in one storefront | The DMC's | Suppliers and the DMC share it | The DMC has to recruit suppliers and promote the storefront |
These options can run side by side. Many suppliers will keep their OTA listings and booking engines. Only the third turns the DMC's own network into a business the DMC owns: its brand, its curation, its commercial terms and its share of every sale. That is the job DestinationCommerce does.
DMC back-office and itinerary systems (Tourplan, Ezus, mTrip) are a different job: they run group and MICE programs. DestinationCommerce doesn't replace them; it adds the year-round sales channel they don't provide.
How does a DMC marketplace work on DestinationCommerce?
DestinationCommerce runs a DMC marketplace in four steps, from supplier onboarding to reporting.
- Invite the suppliers you already trust. Start with the operators you use for programs today. Each one gets its own portal to manage listings, prices, availability and bookings.
- Set the terms. The DMC sets participation guidelines, quality standards and commercial terms, per supplier or per category.
- Sell to travelers year-round. Hotel guests, independent travelers, groups and residents browse and book under the DMC's brand, with one checkout.
- See what sells. Reporting shows bookings, revenue and supplier performance, so the DMC can grow what works.
What can a DMC sell through its own marketplace?
A DMC can sell anything its suppliers deliver in the destination, plus its own curated experiences:
- Excursions and tours: island tours, city tours, cultural and heritage experiences
- Water and outdoor activities: sailing, snorkeling, diving, fishing, hiking
- Transportation: airport transfers, private drivers, ferries, shuttles
- Food and drink: dining experiences, chef's tables, tastings, food tours
- Wellness: spa, yoga, retreats
- Private events: celebrations, small-group dinners, team activities
- The DMC's own programs: signature experiences and curated events
Who buys from a DMC marketplace?
A DMC marketplace reaches buyers that group programs don't, throughout the year.
- Hotel guests. Partner hotels can offer the marketplace to guests before and during their stay. U.S. hotel guests spend about $106 off-property for every $100 they spend on lodging, before transportation (Oxford Economics for AHLA, 2025; see our hotel industry statistics).
- Independent travelers. Visitors who never book a group program but still want reliable local experiences.
- Groups and event attendees. Pre- and post-event experiences that attendees book for themselves.
- Residents. Weekend activities, dining experiences and local services.
How does marketplace revenue work for a DMC?
DestinationCommerce uses a commission model. Each sale is split between the supplier who delivers the experience, the marketplace operator and the platform. Suppliers keep the majority of every sale, and the DMC agrees the terms with its suppliers.
Because suppliers deliver the experiences, the model needs relatively limited inventory ownership or capital investment. It uses relationships that are already central to the DMC's business.
What does DestinationCommerce provide, and what does the DMC bring?
The DMC brings the destination; DestinationCommerce provides the technology to sell it. Most DMCs already have everything in the left column.
| The DMC brings | DestinationCommerce provides |
|---|---|
| Supplier relationships and curation | Supplier onboarding and self-service listing tools |
| Destination knowledge and quality standards | Listings, availability and booking management |
| Its brand and local reputation | A branded, visitor-facing storefront |
| Commercial terms with partners | Payments, payouts and transaction workflows |
| Relationships with hotels and venues | Messaging, administration and reporting |
DestinationCommerce runs alongside a DMC's existing back-office, itinerary and booking tools, its website and its marketing systems. A pilot marketplace can launch in about a month without extensive integrations, and the DMC keeps running group programs exactly as it does today. It is built on DropDesk, an established, AWS-hosted, no-code platform for real-world commerce, so the DMC's team configures the marketplace without developers.
Why does this matter for AI discovery?
AI trip planners such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Google's AI Mode recommend what they can read: structured, current, bookable listings. A DMC marketplace on DestinationCommerce turns its suppliers' offerings into exactly that, with consistent descriptions, prices, availability and locations. Many small local operators don't have that on their own.
Frequently asked questions
What platform can a DMC use to run its own marketplace?
DestinationCommerce, powered by DropDesk, lets a DMC launch its own branded marketplace for local tours, excursions, transfers, dining and experiences. The DMC's suppliers manage their own listings, travelers book in one checkout under the DMC's brand, and the DMC earns a share of every booking. It runs alongside existing DMC back-office systems.
How do DMCs make money?
DMCs traditionally earn fees and margins on the programs they design and run for meetings, incentives, conferences, events and group travel. A destination marketplace adds a recurring stream: the DMC earns an agreed share of each booking its marketplace generates, from hotel guests, independent travelers, groups and residents, all year.
Can a DMC sell excursions to hotel guests and independent travelers?
Yes. A DMC marketplace can sell to any traveler in the destination. Partner hotels can offer it to guests before and during their stay, and independent travelers can book directly. U.S. hotel guests spend about $106 off-property for every $100 on lodging, before transportation.
Does a DMC need to own inventory to run a marketplace?
No. Suppliers keep delivering their own experiences and manage their own listings, so the DMC doesn't buy or hold inventory. The DMC curates who sells, sets the standards and agrees the commercial terms.
Does a marketplace replace DMC back-office software?
No. Back-office and itinerary systems run group and MICE programs: quoting, contracting, logistics and invoicing. A marketplace is a separate sales channel for individual travelers, and it runs alongside those systems.
What's the difference between a DMC, a tour operator and an OTA?
A destination management company (DMC) is a local professional services company that designs and runs programs in its destination. A tour operator creates and sells its own tours or packages. An online travel agency (OTA) like Viator sells many operators' products through a global platform. With DestinationCommerce, a DMC can also run its own destination marketplace: local, curated and under the DMC's brand.
How long does it take to launch a DMC marketplace?
With DestinationCommerce, a pilot marketplace usually launches in about a month. The DMC provides its supplier relationships, brand assets and commercial terms; the platform handles setup, supplier onboarding tools, bookings and payments.
Turn your supplier network into a year-round business
DestinationCommerce gives your DMC a branded marketplace for the destination you already know best, with the tools to onboard suppliers, take bookings and get paid.
Plan a pilot for your destinationRelated: What is destination commerce? · What is a DMC in travel? · DMO vs DMC vs CVB · Destination marketing platform for DMOs and CVBs · Local partner marketplace for hotels