A conversation with Stefan Ullerup of UberventGo in Berlin
In this episode I have a conversation with Stefan Ullerup, founder of UberventGO, a DMC working across Germany and several neighbouring European markets. What we talk about Berlin as a destination for meetings and incentives Venues, restaurants and group experiences in Berlin Authentic experiences vs what clients actually want Storytelling when selling a destination The changing role of DMCs Direct booking and pressure on DMC margins Transparent pricing and the value of DMC services Rising costs and the challenge of making money Trust and partnerships between agencies and DMCs How AI is changing event planning and sourcing Why local knowledge and operations still matter The future of the DMC business model We speak about Berlin as a destination for meetings, incentives and corporate groups, and what actually makes a good Berlin experience. Stefan talks about everything from history, nightlife and street culture to restaurants, venues and the expectations clients bring with them when they arrive. A large part of our conversation turns into a discussion about something we both deal with as DMC owners: how the traditional DMC business model is changing and what our role is actually worth today. We talk about clients and agencies increasingly researching and booking directly, hotels pushing direct relationships, supplier prices becoming easier to find online, and how that puts pressure on margins. We also discuss transparent pricing and the simple reality that a DMC cannot sell a restaurant, activity or venue at the same price the client can find online while still providing all the work around it. From there, the conversation moves into AI and how quickly it is becoming better at building itineraries and suggesting venues and activities. That raises the obvious question of which parts of the traditional DMC role can be automated, and where local knowledge, relationships, operations and problem solving still create real value. We also come back several times to the importance of understanding what the client actually wants. Sometimes that means showing them the less obvious side of Berlin. Other times, despite all our clever ideas, they simply want a big beer, a schnitzel and the Germany they imagined before they arrived.