Destination Marketing Association International
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
DESTINATIONS INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION, DBA DESTINATIONS INTERNATIONAL, ADVOCATES FOR THE PROFESSIONALISM, EFFECTIVENESS, AND SIGNIFICANCE OF DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATIONS WORLDWIDE.
- Income
- $13.5 million
- Spending
- $12.6 million
- Employees
- 34
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $1.2 million, president & ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Financial health
We do not score finances when yearly spending is very small or the return has too little detail. The ratios stop meaning much at that size.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Governance
This return does not answer enough of the governance questions to score.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (4)
- $4.2 million spent. MEETINGS & EDUCATION:CERTIFIED DESTINATION MANAGEMENT EXECUTIVE (CDME) IS THE INDUSTRY'S HIGHEST INDIVIDUAL EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT. THE PROGRAM FOCUSES ON VISION, LEADERSHIP, PRODUCTIVITY AND IMPLEMENTING BUSINESS STRATEGIES. IN 2024, 67 INDIVIDUALS COMPLETED THE REQUIRED COURSE WORK AND ACHIEVED THEIR CDME DESIGNATION. THERE WERE 100 NEW CDME CANDIDATES IN 2024. TO DATE, OVER 450 INDIVIDUALS HAVE COMPLETED THE CDME PROGRAM.IN 2024 DESTINATIONS INTERNATIONAL OFFERED FACE-TO-FACE EVENTS. OVER 34 INDUSTRY WEBINARS AND 8 VIRTUAL ROUNDTABLES WERE OFFERED IN 2024. THE 2024 ANNUAL CONVENTION RETURNED TO A FACE-TO-FACE EVENT WITH OVER 1,860 ATTENDEES. SEVEN FACE-TO-FACE SUMMITS WERE DESIGNED TO PROVIDE DESTINATION MEMBERS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SPECIFIC TRENDS AND ISSUES THROUGH PEER-TO-PEER NETWORKING AND LEARNING. THE SUMMITS WERE ATTENDED BY APPROXIMATELY 1,424 DESTINATION PROFESSIONALS. SUBJECTS COVERED INCLUDED CEO, CMO, SALES & SERVICES, VISITOR SERVICES, BUSINESS OPERATIONS, SOCIAL INCLUSION AND ADVOCACY. IN 2024, DESTINATIONS INTERNATIONAL CONTINUED THE PROFESSIONAL IN DESTINATION MANAGEMENT (PDM) CERTIFICATE PROGRAM ONLINE. 342 INDIVIDUALS EARNED THEIR CERTIFICATE IN 2024. SINCE THE PDM PROGRAM'S RELAUNCH ONLINE IN MARCH 2021, OVER 1000 INDIVIDUALS HAVE EARNED THEIR CERTIFICATES.IN 2023, DESTINATIONS INTERNATIONAL LAUNCHED THE INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL (IC) CERTIFICATE PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM CATERS TO DESTINATION SALES AND SERVICES PROFESSIONALS AT ALL CAREER STAGES. THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES PARTICIPANTS WITH VITAL KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICAL SKILLS TO EFFECTIVELY UTILIZE THE COMMUNITY'S INFRASTRUCTURE AND ECONOMIC RESOURCES, HUMAN AND SOCIAL CONNECTIONS, AS WELL AS CULTURAL AND CREATIVE ASSETS. THESE CAPABILITIES DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTE TO THE SUCCESS OF INCOMING BUSINESS EVENTS AND THE ONGOING GROWTH OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. THE PROGRAM EMPOWERS LEARNERS TO ESTABLISH THEIR DESTINATION AS A KNOWLEDGE CENTER, FOSTERING COLLABORATION, CREATIVITY, AND SUCCESS IN THE SALES AND SERVICES CYCLE. UPON COMPLETION OF THE COURSE, LEARNERS WILL POSSESS A COMPREHENSIVE GRASP OF IDENTIFYING, MOBILIZING, AND LEVERAGING AVAILABLE RESOURCES TO ENHANCE EVENT EXPERIENCES, DRIVE INNOVATION, AND CREATE LASTING IMPACTS FOR EVENT PLANNERS AND COMMUNITIES. 93 PROFESSIONALS EARNED THEIR CERTIFICATE IN 2024. NEW IN 2024, THE BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE (BI) CERTIFICATE PROGRAM THE DESTINATION EFFECT WAS LAUNCHED. THE NEWEST ADDITION TO DESTINATIONS INTERNATIONAL'S PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PORTFOLIO OF OFFERINGS, THIS CERTIFICATE PROGRAM CONSISTS OF THREE SEPARATE COURSES, EACH DESIGNED TO PROVIDE DESTINATION ORGANIZATION PROFESSIONALS WITH THE ESSENTIAL SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE NEEDED TO EXCEL IN THE PROCESS OF SECURING AND WELCOMING BUSINESS EVENTS TO THEIR DESTINATION. THIS PROGRAM OFFERS SPECIALIZED COURSES FOR SALES, SERVICES AND MARKETING/ COMMUNICATIONS; EACH FOCUSED ON TEACHING THE FUNDAMENTALS AND PROVIDING STRATEGIC INSIGHTS TO DRIVE SUCCESS WITHIN THE DESTINATION ORGANIZATION SALES AND SERVICES CYCLE. COURSES CAN BE TAKEN INDIVIDUALLY OR ALL THREE CAN BE TAKEN AS A BUNDLE.
- $1.7 million spent. MEMBERSHIP/ DEVELOPMENT: O DESTINATIONS INTERNATIONAL IS A LEADING RESOURCE FOR ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROMOTE TRAVEL AND TOURISM. WE SUPPORT OUR MEMBERS BY PROVIDING THEM WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND TOOLS THEY NEED TO SUCCEED AND TO HELP THEIR DESTINATIONS THRIVE.OUR MEMBERS, WHO ARE PART OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST NETWORK OF DESTINATION ORGANIZATIONS, GAIN ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL INDUSTRY RESOURCES, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, AND EXCLUSIVE BENEFITS. AT THE END OF 2024, OUR GLOBAL COMMUNITY INCLUDED: 755 MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS 32 COUNTRIES AND TERRITORIES, A 94.8% MEMBER RETENTION RATE, 91 NEW OR RE-ENGAGED MEMBERS DURING THE YEAR, AND MORE THAN 8,000 PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED WITH US.GUIDED BY OUR VOLUNTEERSOUR ORGANIZATION IS DRIVEN BY THE PASSION OF OUR VOLUNTEER LEADERS. IN 2024, OVER 500 VOLUNTEERS SERVED ON 29 COMMITTEES AND TASK FORCES. THESE DEDICATED INDIVIDUALS WORK ALONGSIDE OUR STAFF TO CREATE NEW TOOLS, ADVANCE RESEARCH, MANAGE ACCREDITATION PROGRAMS, AND ESTABLISH BEST PRACTICES, ENSURING OUR MEMBERS HAVE THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO EXCEL.
- $1.1 million spent. PRODUCTS/SERVICES/RESEARCHTHE EVENT IMPACT CALCULATOR MEASURES THE ECONOMIC VALUE OF AN EVENT AND CALCULATES ITS RETURN ON INVESTMENT TO LOCAL TAXES. THERE ARE FOUR DISTINCT MODULES: MEETINGS, SPORTS, FESTIVALS & CULTURAL EVENTS AND LOCAL & PUBLIC EVENTS. WITH MORE THAN 375 DESTINATION ORGANIZATIONS USING THE TOOL IN OVER 13 COUNTRIES, THE EVENT IMPACT CALCULATOR HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED AS AN INDUSTRY STANDARD WITH OVER 180,565 EVENTS ANALYZED IN 2024. IN ADDITION, WE HAVE INDUSTRY COLLABORATIONS WITH SPORTSETA AND IAVM SO THEIR MEMBERS CAN SUBSCRIBE TO THE TOOL. 48 STATEWIDE MODELS AND 10 PROVINCIAL MODELS ARE CURRENTLY IN USE.IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TOURISM ECONOMICS, DESTINATIONS INTERNATIONAL LAUNCHED THE WEBSITE IMPACT CALCULATOR (WIC)THE GOLD STANDARD TOOL FOR CONNECTING DMO WEBSITE TRAFFIC TO INFLUENCED VISITS AND MEASURABLE ECONOMIC IMPACT. BUILT ON DECADES OF EXPERTISE AND DETAILED ECONOMIC ANALYSIS, THE WIC PROVIDES CREDIBLE INSIGHTS THAT DRIVE ADVOCACY AND MAXIMIZE RETURNS ON MEMBER OWNED MEDIA ACTIVITIES. SEAMLESSLY INTEGRATED WITH THE EVENT IMPACT CALCULATOR (EIC), WHICH A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF MEMBERS CURRENTLY UTILIZE, THIS NEW TOOL TAPS INTO THE SAME ECONOMIC MODELING TO PROVIDE INTRICATE VIEWS OF A WEBSITE'S IMPACT FOR SPECIFIC TIME PERIODS, SOURCE MARKETS AND WEBSITE CONTENT.DESTINATIONNEXT IS A STRATEGIC PLANNING TOOL THAT PROVIDES DESTINATION ORGANIZATIONS WITH PRACTICAL ACTIONS AND STRATEGIES FOR SUSTAINABLE SUCCESS IN A DRAMATICALLY CHANGING WORLD. OVER 407 DESTINATIONS HAVE UTILIZED DESTINATIONNEXT TO STRATEGICALLY ASSESS THEIR DESTINATIONS. 33 ASSESSMENTS WERE COMPLETED IN 2024.THE GLOBALLY RECOGNIZED DESTINATION MARKETING ACCREDITATION PROGRAM (DMAP) SERVES AS A VISIBLE INDUSTRY DISTINCTION THAT DEFINES QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE STANDARDS IN DESTINATION MARKETING AND MANAGEMENT. ACHIEVING DMAP ACCREDITATION POSITIONS A DESTINATION ORGANIZATION OR CVB AS A VALUED AND RESPECTED ORGANIZATION IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND INCREASES CREDIBILITY AMONG STAKEHOLDERS. SINCE 2006, THE DESTINATION MARKETING ACCREDITATION PROGRAM BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAS ACCREDITED MORE THAN 230 ORGANIZATIONS WITH MORE THAN 223 ORGANIZATIONS CURRENTLY REGISTERED. IN 2024, 4 ORGANIZATIONS COMPLETED THE ACCREDITATION PROCESS AND RECEIVED THEIR DMAP DESIGNATION.THE DESTINATION ORGANIZATION PERFORMANCE REPORTING IS A DYNAMIC PLATFORM ALLOWING ACCESS 24/7. PARTICIPANTS CAN VIEW AND ANALYZE STRUCTURES, PRACTICES, TRENDS, AND DEVELOPMENTS IN KEY AREAS OF INTEREST FOR THE INDUSTRY INCLUDING ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND FUNDING. 269 DESTINATIONS PARTICIPATED IN 2024.THE COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS REPORTING IS A DYNAMIC PLATFORM ALLOWING ACCESS 24.7, PARTICIPANTS ARE PROVIDED A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF DESTINATION ORGANIZATIONS SALARY AND BENEFITS STRUCTURE. SUBSCRIBERS TO THE REPORT ARE ABLE TO COMPARE PRACTICES WITH PEER DESTINATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. 357 DESTINATIONS PARTICIPATED IN 2024.THE EDI ASSESSMENT TOOL IS A DESTINATION TOOL AVAILABLE FOR DESTINATION ORGANIZATION MEMBERS GLOBALLY. AFTER INPUTTING THEIR DATA INTO THE INTERACTIVE PLATFORM, THE ASSESSMENT ALLOWS DESTINATIONS TO NOT ONLY VIEW BEST PRACTICES ACROSS THE INDUSTRY, BUT ALSO PULL COMPARATIVE REPORTS TO SEE HOW THEIR EDI PRACTICES SCALE AGAINST A COMPARABLE SET OF INDUSTRY PEERS. OVER 150 DESTINATIONS COMPLETED THE ASSESSMENT IN 2024. DEVELOPED THE SECOND EDITION OF OUR SOCIAL INCLUSION LEXICON FOR THE UNITED STATES AND OUR FIRST EDITION OF SOCIAL INCLUSION LEXICONS FOR CANADA. THE CANADIAN VERSION IS AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH AND FRENCH CANADIAN. WE COLLABORATED WITH VISIT TAMPA BAY TO ADDRESS FOOD INSECURITY BY PARTNERING WITH FEEDING TAMPA BAY FOR A VOLUNTEER EVENT. 39 ATTENDEES PACKAGED 10,000+ POTATOES, PRODUCING 9,000+ MEALS. MEDIA COVERAGE GENERATED 4.75M UVM AND 42,000+ SOCIAL IMPRESSIONS. WE ALSO CONNECTED WITH TWO NON-PROFITS AND RAISED $2,400 THROUGH DONATIONS.IN 2024, DESTINATIONS INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPED A HOLISTIC FOUNDATION TO DESCRIBE THE IMPORTANCE OF CREATING WELCOMING ENVIRONMENTS FOR COMMUNITIES AND VISITORS THROUGH OUR SOCIAL INCLUSION FRAMEWORK. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TRAVELABILITY, WE DEVELOPED A CUSTOMIZED ACCESSIBILITY PLAYBOOK TO HELP DESTINATION ORGANIZATIONS AND LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS IMPLEMENT PRACTICAL ACCESSIBILITY STRATEGIES. THIS ACTIONABLE GUIDE PROVIDES TOOLS, RESOURCES AND USE CASES TAILORED TO DESTINATIONS OF ALL SIZES, BUDGETS, AND GEOGRAPHIES TO ENHANCE INCLUSIVITY FOR TRAVELERS WITH DISABILITIES. IN ADDITION, A 10-YEAR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND RETENTION STRATEGY WAS DESIGNED TO HELP MEMBERS ADDRESS IMMEDIATE AND LONG-TERM TALENT CHALLENGES. CENTERED ON FIVE KEY PILLARS, THE STRATEGY FOCUSES ON TALENT PIPELINE DEVELOPMENT, INDUSTRY RETENTION, INCLUSIVE LEADERSHIP REPRESENTATION, STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS AND A WORKFORCE CELEBRATION DAY PROVIDING A STRUCTURED APPROACH TO WORKFORCE GROWTH AND SUSTAINABILITY. THE TAMPA BAY CASE STUDY & TOOL KIT WAS RELEASED IN 2024. THIS THREE-PART CASE STUDY HIGHLIGHTS HOW DESTINATIONS INTERNATIONAL LEVERAGED ITS 2024 ANNUAL CONVENTION IN TAMPA BAY TO FOSTER COMMUNITY CONNECTION AND POSITIVE IMPACT AMID A CHALLENGING POLITICAL CLIMATE. FEATURING KEY STRATEGIES, OUTCOMES AND A COMPANION TOOLKIT, IT OFFERS ACTIONABLE INSIGHTS FOR DESTINATION PROFESSIONALS AND MEETING PLANNERS ON HOW TO LEAVE A LEGACY AND ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY IN POWERFUL WAYS.NEW RESEARCH WAS RELEASED IN 2024. "DESTINATION PROMOTION: A CATALYST FOR COMMUNITY VITALITY" IS A NEW RESEARCH THAT REVEALS HOW INVESTING IN DESTINATION PROMOTION ACTS AS A CATALYST FOR BROADER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, IMPROVED QUALITY OF LIFE AND A STRONGER SENSE OF PLACE. THE DIVIDENDS OF DESTINATION PROMOTION EXTEND FAR BEYOND THE BENEFITS ACCRUING TO VISITOR RELATED INDUSTRIES AND THEIR SUPPLIER AND HAVE PROVEN TO POSITIVELY INFLUENCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND OVERALL WELL-BEING OF A COMMUNITY. FURTHERMORE, THE REPORT FINDS THAT A SOUND DESTINATION BRAND CAN BE LEVERAGED ACROSS THE COMMUNITY'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SPECTRUM. ALL OF THIS IS A CATALYST FOR ATTRA
- $2.1 million spent. RESEARCH AND ADVOCACY, COMMUNICATION
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(6) business league.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Worth knowing.
Not individually listed by the IRS as eligible. The master file records contributions to it as deductible.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since March 1947.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.