An international tour operator has received a request from clients who want to travel to Vietnam. The clients have some initial ideas about the trip, but there is no complete itinerary yet. The operator contacts a local DMC and sends a simple request: “We need a 10-day Vietnam tour for two people.”
That may be enough to start a conversation, but it leaves many questions unanswered. Who are the travelers? What kind of experience are they looking for? What level of accommodation do they expect? Do they prefer a relaxed itinerary or an active one? And how much flexibility does the partner have when it comes to destinations and route planning?
A DMC needs more than the destination and number of days to develop a relevant proposal. It needs to understand who the clients are, what they expect and what the partner is trying to create. A good DMC brief does not need to be complicated. It needs to give the DMC enough information to understand the client, the product and the operational requirements.
The following guide explains what international travel companies should include when briefing a DMC for a tailor-made Vietnam tour.
1. Start With the Basic Travel Information
The first step is to provide the basic information that allows the DMC to understand the scope of the request. You do not need to prepare a complete itinerary before making contact. In many cases, travel dates, number of travelers and trip duration are enough to start the discussion.
Travel dates
Provide the exact arrival and departure dates if they are already confirmed. If the clients are still flexible, an approximate travel period is also useful.
Travel dates can affect the feasibility and cost of a program because accommodation, transportation, cruises and activities may vary in availability depending on the season and the specific travel period.
Number of travelers
The DMC should know how many people will be traveling and, when relevant, what type of group they form.
A private trip for a couple, a family holiday, a group of friends and a larger tour series can require very different arrangements. The number of travelers can affect transportation, accommodation, guides and other operational requirements.
Trip duration
Specify the expected number of days or nights. If the duration is flexible, mention the preferred range rather than presenting it as a fixed requirement.
For example, a request for “10 to 12 days in Vietnam” gives the DMC some room to develop a route that works well within the available time.
You do not need a perfect brief to contact a DMC. Providing the basic travel parameters first allows the conversation to begin, while the remaining details can be clarified during the consultation.
2. Describe Who the Travelers Are
The next step is to explain the client profile. This information helps the DMC understand what kind of travel product is appropriate rather than simply assembling a standard itinerary.
Useful information can include the clients' nationality or target market, approximate age, whether they are traveling as a couple, family, group of friends or organized group, and whether they are first-time or repeat visitors to Vietnam. Their general travel experience and physical ability can also be relevant when the program involves hiking, cycling, long transfers or other physically demanding activities.
For example, an itinerary designed for young, active travelers may include a different pace and level of activity from one designed for a senior couple. Likewise, families may have different accommodation and daily scheduling requirements from couples traveling without children.
The purpose is not to provide personal information about individual travelers. It is to give the DMC enough context to understand what type of client the program is being developed for.
3. Explain What the Clients Want From Vietnam
A good brief should also describe the clients' travel motivation. This can be more useful at the initial stage than simply listing the destinations they have heard about.
For example, clients may be particularly interested in Vietnamese culture, local food, nature, beaches, adventure, wellness, history, photography or everyday local life. They may also have specific interests that could influence the experiences included in the program.
The partner does not need to turn these preferences into a detailed itinerary. In fact, leaving some room for recommendations can allow the DMC to apply its destination knowledge and suggest experiences that the partner or client may not have considered.
A DMC does not need a finished itinerary to start developing a tailor-made tour. A clear description of what the clients want to experience can sometimes be more useful than a fixed list of destinations.
This is particularly important when working with a local DMC. The international partner may understand its clients extremely well without necessarily knowing which destinations, routes or experiences in Vietnam will best match their expectations. That destination knowledge is part of what the DMC brings to the product development process.
4. Explain the Preferred Travel Style
Two clients may both want to “see Vietnam” but have completely different expectations about how they want to travel. Describing the preferred travel style helps the DMC develop a program that feels appropriate rather than simply fitting as many destinations as possible into the available time.
A brief might indicate a preference for slow travel, active travel, private travel, luxury travel, comfort-oriented experiences, local and authentic experiences, fast-paced sightseeing or a relaxed beach extension.
One of the most useful details is the pace of travel. For example, telling the DMC that “the clients prefer a relaxed pace and do not want to change hotels every night” immediately provides useful guidance for route and itinerary development.
This kind of information can sometimes be more valuable than simply requesting “Hanoi, Halong Bay and Hoi An.” The destinations may still be appropriate, but the DMC needs to understand how the clients want to experience them.
5. Specify Accommodation Expectations
If the clients have clear accommodation preferences, these should be included in the brief. Relevant information may include the preferred hotel category, room type, location, resort or city hotel preference, boutique or international hotel preference, and any specific requirements.
However, the partner does not need to decide everything in advance.
If the clients have not specified whether they want a 4-star or 5-star hotel, for example, the partner can explain the expected level of comfort or product positioning and ask the DMC for recommendations. The DMC can then suggest suitable accommodation based on the client profile, itinerary and available budget.
Accommodation should also be considered as part of the overall product rather than as an isolated booking. A hotel that looks suitable on paper may not be the best choice if its location creates unnecessary transfers or does not fit the travel style.
6. Share the Budget When Possible
A budget is not always available at the beginning of the process, and you do not have to provide an exact budget to brief a DMC.
However, if the international partner has an approximate budget or a clear market positioning, sharing it can help the DMC develop a more relevant proposal.
For example, the partner might describe the product as mid-range, premium or luxury, rather than giving a strict price ceiling. A statement such as “the product should be positioned as premium” can already provide useful direction.
Budget should be viewed as a product development parameter, not simply a limit on spending. It can influence the choice of accommodation, transportation, activities, meals and service levels, allowing the DMC to build a program that fits the intended market.
If no budget has been established yet, that is also useful information to communicate. The DMC can develop an initial concept and discuss suitable options with the partner before the program is finalized.
7. Explain What the Partner Needs From the DMC
Not every international travel company needs the same level of support from a DMC. Some partners may want a complete ground arrangement, while others may already have certain suppliers or services in place.
The brief should therefore make the scope of services clear whenever possible.
For example, the partner may need the DMC to arrange accommodation, transportation, guides, cruises, activities or only selected services. They may also already have part of the itinerary confirmed and require the DMC to handle the remaining arrangements.
This distinction matters because a DMC quotation should reflect what the partner actually needs the DMC to arrange and operate. A full ground arrangement and a request for hotels and guides only are different scopes of work, even if they relate to the same Vietnam itinerary.
If the exact scope is not yet clear, the partner can simply explain what they have already arranged and what they would like the DMC to handle. The DMC can then help clarify the operational requirements during the consultation.
8. Share Any Existing Itinerary or Ideas
If the partner already has an itinerary or a rough idea of the trip, it is useful to share it with the DMC. This gives the local team a clear starting point and helps them understand what the partner and clients already have in mind.
The information does not have to be a finished program. It could be a list of preferred destinations, places mentioned by the clients, a draft itinerary, a rough route, a previous Vietnam program or even a similar product that the partner has developed for another market.
For example, a partner might simply write: “We would like your recommendation for a 10-day cultural program in Vietnam.” That is enough to begin a discussion.
An initial brief is a starting point, not a final itinerary. If the partner is open to recommendations, the DMC can use its destination knowledge to review the initial idea, suggest alternatives and develop a more suitable route.
This is particularly useful when the international partner knows its clients well but does not have extensive knowledge of Vietnam.
9. Tell the DMC What the Clients Do Not Want
A useful brief should not only explain what the clients want. It should also explain what they want to avoid.
For example, clients may prefer to avoid long transfers, early morning departures, frequent hotel changes, crowded attractions, intensive physical activities or overly rushed schedules. They may also have specific preferences about accommodation or types of tourism they do not enjoy.
These details can significantly influence itinerary development. Knowing that clients want a relaxed pace, for example, can prevent the DMC from designing a route that looks attractive on paper but requires constant movement between destinations.
Negative preferences are therefore not secondary information. They help the DMC eliminate unsuitable options early in the planning process and focus on solutions that are more likely to fit the client.
10. Include Operational or Special Requirements
Any requirement that could affect itinerary design or on-the-ground operations should be communicated as early as possible.
This may include guide language, dietary requirements, mobility considerations, private transportation, connecting rooms, special occasions, specific activities, flight requirements or cruise preferences.
Not every request will apply to every program, so there is no need to turn the brief into a long checklist. The important point is to flag anything that could influence how the program is designed or operated.
Anything that could affect itinerary design or operations should be communicated early.
Providing this information at the beginning gives the DMC an opportunity to consider it when selecting destinations, accommodation, transportation, activities and suppliers rather than trying to accommodate it after the itinerary has already been built.
11. Tell the DMC How Much Flexibility You Have
One of the most useful things an international partner can communicate is how flexible the brief is.
For example, the partner might say: “We have a fixed route." or: “We are open to recommendations.” or: “The destinations are flexible, but the clients want a slow pace.” These statements give the DMC very different instructions. A fixed route tells the DMC to focus on making the requested program operational. An open brief gives the DMC more room to recommend destinations, change the route or develop a different combination of experiences.
This distinction is particularly important for tailor-made travel because the DMC may identify a better solution based on travel time, seasonality, destination connections or the clients' preferences.
The clearer the partner is about what is fixed and what is flexible, the more effectively the DMC can contribute to the product development process.
12. A Good DMC Brief Does Not Need to Be Long
A common misconception is that an international travel company needs to prepare a detailed document before contacting a DMC. In reality, the initial brief can be much simpler.
A useful starting point may contain only travel dates, number of travelers, client profile, interests, travel style and basic expectations. The DMC can then ask follow-up questions during the consultation to clarify anything that is still missing.
This is particularly useful when the partner is at an early stage of developing a Vietnam product. There is no need to spend time building a complete itinerary simply to give the DMC something to work with.
The purpose of the initial brief is to provide enough direction for the DMC to understand the request and begin developing the right solution. Clarity is more important than length. A concise brief with relevant information is generally more useful than a long document filled with details that have not yet been confirmed.
13. Example of a Practical DMC Brief
Here is an example of how an international tour operator could brief a DMC without having a complete itinerary:
We are looking for a 10 to 12-day private Vietnam program for two European clients. They are interested in Vietnamese culture and local food and prefer a relaxed pace. They would like comfortable 4-star accommodation and private transportation. They are open to destination recommendations and would prefer to avoid long unnecessary transfers. Their approximate budget is in the premium range.
Although this request is relatively short, it gives the DMC a useful starting point. The team knows the duration, number of travelers, target market, interests, travel pace, accommodation expectations, transportation preference, flexibility and budget positioning.
Most importantly, the partner has not tried to design the entire route before contacting the DMC.
The DMC can use this information to discuss the request, recommend suitable destinations, develop the route and propose experiences that fit the clients. Further details can then be clarified as the program takes shape.
This is the practical purpose of a DMC brief: to give the local partner enough information to start developing the product, not to provide the finished product in advance.
14. What Happens After You Send a Brief to a DMC?
Sending the brief is only the beginning of the product development process. Once the DMC receives the request, the team may ask additional questions to clarify the clients' expectations, operational requirements and the scope of services required.
The process can then move through several stages:
Request → consultation → itinerary development → quotation → revisions → confirmation
During the itinerary development stage, the DMC can recommend destinations, adjust the route and select suitable services and experiences. The quotation is then prepared according to the agreed scope of services.
The first proposal does not necessarily become the final program. The partner may request changes to the route, accommodation, activities, service level or budget, and the DMC can refine the program accordingly.
For a deeper look at the overall process, see our guide on how a tailor-made Vietnam tour is developed.
The objective is not simply to produce a quotation. It is to reach a Vietnam program that fits the clients, the partner's market and the operational realities of the destination.
15. How to Brief a Vietnam DMC: Quick Checklist
| Information | What to provide |
|---|---|
| Travel dates | Exact dates or approximate period |
| Travelers | Number and type of travelers |
| Client profile | Market, age and travel style |
| Interests | Culture, food, nature, adventure, etc. |
| Pace | Relaxed, moderate or active |
| Accommodation | Preferred category or expectations |
| Budget | Approximate positioning if available |
| Itinerary | Existing ideas or flexibility |
| Services | What you need the DMC to arrange |
| Special requirements | Language, dietary or operational needs |
You do not need to have every answer before contacting a DMC. If some information is still unknown, make that clear and let the DMC help you determine the appropriate options.
16. Conclusion: How to Brief a DMC for a Tailor-Made Vietnam Tour
A good DMC brief does not need to contain a finished itinerary. It needs to provide enough information to understand the product you are trying to build.
At a minimum, consider who the clients are, when they are traveling, what they want to experience, how they prefer to travel, what they want to avoid and what level of service they expect. It is also useful to explain which services you need the DMC to arrange and how much flexibility you have regarding the itinerary.
At Vietnam Original Travel, international partners can start with a basic request rather than a finished Vietnam itinerary. Our team can discuss the client profile and requirements, provide destination recommendations and develop the program together with the partner.
If you are preparing a Vietnam program for your clients, share your travel dates, number of travelers and initial requirements with our team to start the discussion.
You may also be interested in these articles:
How to Choose a DMC for a Tailor-Made Vietnam Tour
How Much Does a Vietnam DMC Quote? A Guide for Tour Operators
