DMO Consultancy
We consult with destination management organisations on change management and income generation — drawing on our own direct experience of running a county DMO with over 500 member businesses for more than 20 years, including 4 years operating without any public sector funding.
Unlike most consultants, we don't just advise on DMO management — we do it. Our practical, operational experience gives our advice a grounding in reality that purely academic or policy-level consultancy cannot match.
Our DMO Experience
- Running a county-level DMO for over 20 years
- 500+ member businesses — accommodations, attractions, activity providers, food and drink, retail
- Self-funded for 4 years with no public sector support
- Developed and managed the DMS, website, e-newsletters, marketing campaigns, visitor guides and business support programmes
Recent DMO Clients
- Wye Valley & Forest of Dean Tourism
- Marketing Cheshire
- Visit Durham
- Numerous tourism associations and destination groups across England and Wales
What We Advise On
- Change management — restructuring, governance reform, mergers and wind-down
- Income generation — moving from grant dependency to commercial sustainability
- Membership development — growing and retaining a membership base
- Commercial activity — developing revenue from advertising, sponsorship and services
- Digital strategy — DMS, website and digital marketing
- Stakeholder management — local authorities, LEPs, BIDs and partners
- Partnership development — creating and facilitating destination partnerships
Frequently Asked Questions
A destination management organisation (DMO) is an organisation responsible for marketing and managing a tourism destination — typically a city, county, region or country. DMOs may be publicly funded, membership-funded, privately run, or a combination of these. They manage destination websites, visitor information, tourism product databases, marketing campaigns and business support for member tourism businesses. See also our destination management system (DMS) service.
There are several proven income streams for DMOs operating without or with reduced public funding: membership subscriptions from tourism businesses, digital advertising and enhanced listing fees on destination websites, booking commissions, sponsored content and partnerships, advertising sales in destination publications, event management fees, business support programmes commissioned by local enterprise partnerships or councils, and consultancy. We have operated a county DMO entirely without public sector funding for 4 years — we can share what works in practice.
Change management for a DMO covers restructuring the organisation, changing its legal form, merging with or separating from another body, shifting from grant funding to commercial income, changing governance arrangements, or winding down an existing structure and establishing a new one. These processes are complex and politically sensitive — experienced independent guidance significantly improves the chances of a successful outcome. Contact us to discuss your situation.
A destination management organisation (DMO) is the organisation that manages and markets a destination. A destination management system (DMS) is the technology platform the DMO uses to manage its tourism product database and power its destination website. Many DMOs need both — but they are distinct things. We provide both DMO consultancy and DMS technology development.