Non-profit DMC marketing association, euromic, mounted its first Asia roadshow with 10 international members travelling to Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore between April 20 and 23.
The aim was to meet local buyers to introduce euromic and provide practical international insight in a conversational, experience-led and discussion-driven learning setting.
The event in Singapore, comprising a half-day seminar was attended by more than 40 local buyers, followed by an evening tabletop session and networking event with about 90 participants.
The DMCs, which are all member-owned, joining Global ConneX representing Singapore and Malaysia were: CTI (Germany and Austria); Creative Travel (India and the Maldives); S’Tours (Morocco), Delta Amsterdam (The Netherlands); Gastaldi Global DMC (Italy) Portugal Travel Team; Paloma Tours (Romania); Spanish Heritage; Green Inspirations (Tanzania, Kenya and Rwanda); and Barclay’s Group Travel, Tunisia.
The first Asia roadshow, according to Michael Kater, managing director of CTI, was well received and there are plans to expand and include Thailand in 2027.
“There was interest in KL, compared to euromic roadshows in other regions; and the industry is looking for information and participants were asking a lot of questions,” he added.
In his introduction of euromic and its members, Gunther Homerlein, co-founder and general manager of Destination China DMC and Xperience Events and Travel Singapore, (which is represented in Singapore and Malaysia by Global ConneX), highlighted the local presence of members, intimate knowledge of the destinations they operate in, coupled with high standards and partner relationships.
During the seminar, second-generation leaders like S’Tours’ Kamil Skalli and Paloma Tours’ Sergiu Badiu, shared their career journeys into the industry, giving advice to young Singapore professionals, while a panel discussion provided crisis management lessons from Spain and Portugal’s blackout last year.
The seminar ended with table discussions on how to sell destinations; future market trends and AI’s impact on client requests and the industry.
