Updated October 2026
What is DMC software?
DMC software is the technology a destination management company uses to run its business: sourcing and contracting suppliers, building programs and itineraries, quoting, booking and reconciling payments. Most DMC software is built for the program side: proposals and logistics for meetings, incentives, conferences and events (MICE).
There are three common types:
| Type | What it does | Built for | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMC back-office / itinerary systems | Supplier contracts, quoting, itineraries, program logistics, invoicing | Group and MICE programs | Tourplan, Ezus, mTrip |
| Tour and activity booking engines | Online booking and availability for a single operator's own products, plus reseller connections | Individual tour operators | Bókun, FareHarbor, Rezdy |
| Multi-supplier marketplace (DestinationCommerce) | A branded storefront where many local suppliers sell to travelers, with the DMC as marketplace operator | DMCs selling the destination year-round | DestinationCommerce |
These tools don't compete for the same job. Back-office systems run your programs. Booking engines run one operator's calendar. DestinationCommerce adds a commercial layer: a marketplace your DMC operates, where your curated suppliers sell directly to travelers every day of the year. (New to the term? Read what a DMC is in travel.)
How can a DMC earn revenue between events?
A DMC can earn recurring revenue by operating a marketplace for the destination it already knows. Instead of earning mainly when a group program is organized, the DMC earns an agreed share of each transaction its marketplace generates, from hotel guests, independent travelers, groups and residents.
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 are exactly the assets a destination marketplace needs:
- Supplier relationships. You already work with transport providers, excursion operators, restaurants, venues and entertainment companies.
- Quality judgment. You know which providers deliver consistently, and which don't.
- Operating expertise. You coordinate complex visitor experiences every week.
Today, most of that value is realized one program at a time. A marketplace lets the same network earn between programs, through the seasons, with limited inventory ownership or capital investment.
What you bring and what DestinationCommerce runs
A DMC marketplace works because each side does what it's best at. The DMC brings the destination. DestinationCommerce provides the technology to sell it.
| Your 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 |
| Your brand and local reputation | A branded, visitor-facing marketplace |
| Commercial leadership and partner terms | Payments, payouts and transaction workflows |
| Your own curated programs and events | Direct messaging between travelers and suppliers |
| Relationships with hotels and venues | Marketplace administration and reporting |
How does a DMC marketplace work?
DestinationCommerce runs a 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. Your 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 in one marketplace under your brand, with one checkout.
- See what sells. Reporting shows bookings, revenue and supplier performance, so you can grow what works and add new offerings.
What can a DMC sell through its marketplace?
A DMC can sell anything its suppliers deliver in the destination, plus its own curated experiences. Typical categories:
- 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
- Your own programs: the curated events and signature experiences your DMC designs
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 your 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). A DMC marketplace gives that spending a trusted local place to go.
- 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 is a DMC marketplace different from a tour booking engine or an OTA?
A tour booking engine runs one operator's products. An online travel agency (OTA) like Viator or GetYourGuide is a global catalog that you list inside. A DestinationCommerce marketplace is a curated, branded storefront for the destination that your DMC operates and controls.
| Tour booking engine | Global OTA | DestinationCommerce marketplace | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whose products | One operator's own | Thousands of operators, worldwide | Your curated suppliers in your destination |
| Whose brand | The operator's | The OTA's | Yours |
| Who sets the terms | The operator | The OTA | Your DMC |
| Who earns on each sale | The operator | The OTA takes commission | Suppliers and your DMC share it |
| Curation | n/a | Algorithm and reviews | Your local judgment |
| Best for | Running a tour company | Global reach | Turning a DMC's network into a business |
Booking engines and OTAs remain useful. Many suppliers will keep using them. A DMC marketplace adds the one channel where the destination's own expert does the curating and earns on it.
How does DMC marketplace revenue work?
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 your DMC agrees the terms with its suppliers.
Because suppliers deliver the experiences, the model needs relatively limited inventory ownership or capital investment. It uses supplier relationships that are already central to your DMC's operations.
Does it work with our existing systems?
Yes. DestinationCommerce runs alongside your current back-office, itinerary and booking tools, your website and your marketing systems. You can launch a pilot marketplace in about a month, without extensive integrations, and keep running group programs exactly as you do today.
DestinationCommerce is built on DropDesk, an established, AWS-hosted, no-code platform for real-world commerce. Your team configures the marketplace; you don't need developers to run it.
Is your destination ready 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 turns your suppliers' offerings into exactly that, with consistent descriptions, prices, availability and locations.
Structured data generated by marketplace activity also gives your DMC clearer reporting today and a foundation for AI-enabled discovery and destination services. That visibility covers activity on the platform, not transactions that happen elsewhere.
Frequently asked questions
What is DMC software used for?
DMC software helps a destination management company run its business: managing suppliers, building itineraries, quoting programs, taking bookings and handling payments. Traditional DMC software focuses on group, incentive and event programs. DestinationCommerce adds a branded, multi-supplier marketplace so the DMC can also sell local experiences to travelers year-round.
Why should a DMC use a marketplace instead of a booking engine?
A booking engine is built for one operator selling its own tours. A DMC's value is its network of many suppliers. A marketplace lets those suppliers manage their own listings in a storefront the DMC operates, so the DMC earns on bookings across the network without managing each supplier's calendar.
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 marketplace adds a recurring stream: the DMC earns an agreed share of each transaction 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 DestinationCommerce marketplace sells to any traveler in the destination. Partner hotels can offer it to guests before and during their stay, and independent travelers can book directly. Hotel guests are a large market: U.S. hotel guests spend about $106 off-property for every $100 on lodging, before transportation.
Do we need to own inventory or replace our current systems?
No. Suppliers keep delivering their own experiences and manage their own listings, so the DMC doesn't buy or hold inventory. DestinationCommerce runs alongside your existing back-office, booking and website tools, and can launch without extensive integrations.
Can we include our own curated events and programs?
Yes. Your DMC can list its own signature experiences and curated events in the marketplace alongside supplier offerings, and sell them to the same travelers.
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 operate its own destination marketplace.
How long does it take to launch a pilot?
A DMC marketplace pilot usually launches in about a month. Your DMC provides three things: the suppliers you already have relationships with, your brand assets, and your commercial terms. DestinationCommerce handles the platform 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 technology to onboard suppliers, take bookings and get paid.
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