Who is DMA?
Destination Media Alliance, LLC (DMA) is a partnership of two of Washington State’s premier travel-related marketing firms—Encore Media Group and VGP Destination Marketing rolled into one great package.
Individually, each partner has a long-standing reputation for excellence in the travel, tourism and publishing industry—and together we are an extremely formidable and effective travel and tourism marketing resource. We have combined expertise in publishing, print and online advertising sales, fulfillment, distribution, international, and cooperative marketing that will provide a powerful resource for your organization. In addition, we can provide custom online hotel booking and attraction ticketing systems complete with call center support.
The Destination Media Alliance, LLC mission is simple: to create “world class” publications combined with interactive digital products that will meet and typically exceed your marketing objectives. In short, we will work with you to build custom marketing solutions that will drive more traffic to your door.
The Principals
Paul Heppner: Encore Media Group
Paul is a second-generation business owner and President of Encore Media Group the Seattle based 40-year-old company often recognized for its marquee publication Encore Arts Programs that are produced for arts organizations in Seattle and San Francisco Bay area. In 1990, the company began its custom publishing operations to specifically provide non-profit organizations and associations with a full range of publication services.
Encore Media Group’s extensive expertise in publishing for the non-profit sector became the cornerstone for its qualifications—along with Media West—to jointly contract and publish the Washington State Visitors’ Guide 2000-2008. In 2006, Encore Media Group was hired to design, edit and create the new international visitors guide, Discover America – USA Travel Guide, published by Small World Publications.
September 2006 ushered in a new publication for Encore Media Group, City Arts – Creative Living for Tacoma. City Arts is a new kind of city magazine featuring bold and different ways for readers to explore creativity. The success of City Arts—Tacoma has led to the launch in July 2008 of sister publications, City Arts—Seattle and City Arts—Eastside.
Marcus Yearout: VGP Destination Marketing
A graduate of the WWU Visual Communications Education department with a degree in Technology and teaching certification, Marcus has taught high school and college level courses in graphic design, visual communications and advertising in the mass media. He launched Visitors Guide Publications (VGP) in 1987 and has published award-winning advertiser supported travel guides for clients throughout Western Washington including Bellingham-Whatcom County Tourism, Snohomish County Tourism, Tourism Grays Harbor, North Olympic Peninsula, and the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians in Washington and Oregon.
Over the past ten years, Marcus has expanded the company to include a call center that supports online hotel reservations, ticket sales for the Boeing Tour, and provides travel counseling/fulfillment services for Washington State Tourism.