I am a Destination Management Professional

DMCP Program

Exam Information

I. Dates to sit for the exam

• Offered at the ADMEI Annual Conference and during the summer and at other times, based on demand.. Deadlines for the next exam are posted on the website, www.dmcpinfo.org

II. Costs

• Download the DMCP Application Kit - read thoroughly!
• Application fee $US200 for ADMEI members, $300 for non-members. Note: The application is now electronic. The application is an Acrobat form which you will need to complete and submit electronically. You can either save this document if you have the full version of Acrobat, or complete, print, and scan for submission.
• Testing fee: $400 (plus the cost of travel, etc) $500 non members
• Membership in ADMEI is not required. If your company is a member, you pay the member fee. If your company is not a member, you need to pay the non-member fee.

III. Timing

• You have two years after application is accepted to take the DMCP exam.

IV. Qualification to take the test

• The application form lists all the requirements.
• Combination of time in the industry, work experience and your "activity level" in your own DMC and in the industry.
• You must have been in the industry for 3 years, or have a bachelor’s degree with an industry related major from a major university.
• You must be employed in the industry when you take the exam.
• You must have a minimum of 90 points out of a possible 150 as a result of your program management experience, membership in various organizations, speaking assignments, teaching opportunities, panelist activities, awards, participation on industry committees, MPI meetings, etc.
• There are deadlines for each test. It is your responsibility to get all of this information from ADMEI and meet the requirements by the deadlines stated.
• All applications and accompanying forms must be submitted electronically.
• It is your responsibility to obtain, understand and follow all of the directions. They are more detailed than the summation listed here.

V. Points are awarded in five different areas

Experience

• Points accrue based on your experience (the more you are involved in project management, the more points you earn, multiplied by a factor of the number of years that you worked in each area.). Program operation gets more points than if you were in administrative support. (35 points possible)

Management

• Supervision: you earn points for those whom you manage. (5 points maximum)
• Service and functions you performed (20 points maximum)
• Scope (size and number) of programs you supervised (30 points maximum)

Education

• Points for college degree, hospitality degrees earn extra points (10 points maximum)
• Continuing Education. One point for 10 hours of class time in our field, for 20 hours of sales/administrative classes, college credits, ten chapter meetings (MPI etc), ADMEI annual conference
• Other points for other efforts. See the application for details and examples
• Formal internship: 2 points for each 250 hours up to 1000 hrs. (10 points maximum)

Membership

• Your membership(s) in organizations for the last 5 years. Keep copies of your membership cards for the application.
• Organizations must be related to the industry.

Professional Contributions

• Authoring / Publishing. National publications get more weight than regional ones. (5 points maximum)
• Teaching and Speaking. When you volunteer, keep a copy of your program that lists you as an instructor, speaker or panelist. (10 points maximum) Speaking at internal meetings does not count for credit.
• Professional Awards. Honors from your peers (Best Corporate Event, etc.) or other certifications (CMP, CSEP, etc.) (5 points maximum)
• Leadership positions in industry organizations, chapters or affiliates. (10 points maximum)

Essay

• You must complete a 150 word (or less) essay that describes your involvement and why DMCP designation is important to you.

Recommendations / References

• You must have two letters of recommendation. One from a client, one from an industry professional, along with three business references.

VI. The test

• The exam has 150 questions based on DMCP Body of Knowledge areas.
• Each exam is different from another. No two are the same
• All questions are multiple-choice, with four possible answers of which only one is correct.
• You have 3 hours to complete the test
• You either Pass or Fail; there is no "grade".
• Results are sent within 60 days of the test.
• If you don't pass the first time, you may register to take it again within the two year eligibility period. There is a retesting fee of $US200 each time you try.

VII. Weighting

The exam is weighted as follows (Body of Knowledge):

1. The Destination Management Company – 13%

• The DMC
• Pricing Strategies
• Technology Utilization
• Ethics and Standards
• E-business

2. Program Management –30%

• Facilities / Venues – room setup, décor, etc.
• Site Selection – off-site, Convention Center, etc.
• Food and Beverage
• Program Planning/SOS
• Special Events – off-site, themed events, props/décor
• Registration

3. Special Services – 17%

• Entertainers / Entertainment / Speakers
• Production – staging, audio / visual, props
• Other – security, amenities, gifts, invitations
• Children’s / Youth Programs

4. Transportation – 20%

• Transportation Services
• Tours – spouse / guest, youth / child

5 Insurance and Legal Issues – 10%

• Federal, state, county
• Licensing / hold harmless
• Liability, liquor liability laws
• ADA compliance
• Music licensing

6. Terminology / Glossary – 10%

VIII. Resources The following publications are required study materials for the exam

• The Guide to Successful Destination Management
• The Glossary for The Guide to Successful Destination Management
• The CIC Manual: 8th Edition

IX. Recertification

• Your certification is good for a period of 5 years, during which you may use the DMCP designation after your name.
• The fee for recertification is currently $US200
• If you choose not to file your recertification papers in a timely manner, you will lose the right to use the DMCP designation after your name.