Professional Development

Here are the resources available to you and your DMO to advance the professionalism and stature of your Organization.

For the Pro

Recognized throughout the DMO industry as its highest educational achievement, CDME (Certified Destination Marketing Executive) is an advanced educational program for veteran and career-minded DMO executives looking for senior-level professional development courses. Under the auspices of Destination Marketing Association International, the focus of the program is on vision, leadership, productivity and the implementation of business strategies.

For one week each year, tourism industry professionals from all over the Southeast meet for the Southeast Tourism Society Marketing College. Students experience a broad-based curriculum of courses designed to teach marketing techniques from all facets of the tourism industry. Marketing College professors are working professionals who not only bring expertise, but real-world knowledge and experience, to the classroom. Students who attend three years of Marketing College receive a Travel Marketing Professional (TMP) certification.

Since 1999, Sales Academy™ has assisted over 1,000 sales professionals in selling their destinations more effectively. The course's results-oriented content has proven to help achieve sales goals, win new group customers and increase sales.

For the Org

Over the past few years, the Destination Marketing industry has made significant progress in elevating the relevancy of DMOs worldwide. Performance reporting has helped shape the way tourism bureaus report results to stakeholders, while branding has improved their positioning. With those two important initiatives as part of the fabric of our industry, DMAP—Destination Marketing Accreditation Program began.

Managed by Destination Marketing Association International, over 100 DMOs worldwide have earned accreditation through this program and are recognized as the best of the best.

The West Virginia Accredited Convention and Visitors Bureau Program is a tourism development initiative of the West Virginia Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus.

The program is designed to encourage all of the state’s CVBs to better prepare and equip themselves to further the development and promotion of tourism in their area and the State of West Virginia. The state and its political subdivisions entrust valuable taxpayer dollars to CVBs each year for the promotion of attractions, events, tourism related businesses and activities and the soliciting of conventions and meetings.

The Texas Association of CVBs offers a Destination Marketing Certificate to DMO pros that complete a rigorous program of study in eight disciplines. To complete the entire program and receive the "TDM Designation," the participant must complete six of the eight disciplines. The outline of the program can be found HERE.

For the Board

Destination Leadership for Boards is the only book on Board Governance specifically written for Destination Marketing Organization Boards and Professionals. In today’s increasingly complex environment, true Destination Leaders must be focused on the long-range health, viability and development of both the Community and the Organization that they serve.

Boards That Makes a Difference offers an empowering and fundamental redesign of the traditional board role and emphasizes values, vision, empowerment of both the board and staff and strategic ability to lead leaders. In addition, this new edition includes a new chapter on model criticisms and the challenges of governance research.

Extraordinary Board Leadership offers practical, hands-on guidance in dealing with the board-CEO-executive staff partnership. The second edition of this successful book recognizes that the collaborative enterprise of governing requires a close partnership between a high-impact governing board and a truly “board-savvy” CEO, and it also discusses standing committees in greater detail.

For more suggested reading, check out the BOOKSTORE.

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