Meeting Planners Will Connect at HSMAI's World Quest
MCLEAN, VA, April 24, 2006. Answering the call for meeting planners seeking international business partners, the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) will kick off its third annual World Quest with a five-city tour beginning July 24, 2006.
In a unique forum that connects meeting professionals with the international business partners they look to do business with, World Quest is designed for intensive education and networking.
On the educational front, attendees will find a wealth of information, including new business strategies, best practices and provocative presentations of hot topics important to the arena of international meetings, followed by interactive roundtable topic discussions with planners and international business partners.
"It is a rare and potentially lucrative forum for both buyers and suppliers in the international marketplace to come together," states Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHA, president and CEO of HSMAI.
"The World Quest format is the most intelligent way of putting people together for learning and networking," notes Jort Wassenaar, MICE director, Netherlands Board of Tourism and Conventions.
The World Quest events will be held as follows:
July 24, 2006 - New York, NY at the Grand Hyatt Hotel
July 27, 2006 - Washington, DC at the Westin Arlington Gateway Hotel
July 28, 2006 - Chicago, IL at the Allerton Crowne Plaza
July 31, 2006 - San Francisco, CA at the Crowne Plaza Union Square
August 4, 2006 - Seattle, WA at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel
The topics for this year's World Quest events include:
International Shipping and Customs: With increased security measures and strict regulations, shipping has become more complex. Know the value of utilizing a Freight Forwarder or Customs Broker before you ship your next box!
Value Added Tax (VAT)/International Tax Reclamation: A zero risk, no obligation method of reducing the cost of doing business abroad. Learn how to reclaim a major amount of the tax you spend abroad!
International Security Measures: Security in today's uncertain global environment is everybody's business - but especially for international meeting planners. This informative session will help you better understand the increasing complexities of international travel security as well as how to be best prepared for worst case scenarios while abroad.
International Legal Issues: International law is a complex subject, which no international meeting planner can completely avoid. Join us in this session and learn how to carefully chart a course to avoid pitfalls and mitigate liabilities of complex international legal issues.
Opening the door to education and networking, HSMAI World Quest, a partnership between HSMAI and Association Management Group and its division Meetings Management Group, brings qualified corporate, association and government international planners together with international hospitality industry business partners for a day of learning, roundtable discussions and networking.
"World Quest is a great 'hands-on' educational event that also provides valuable networking opportunities. I look forward to seeing many of the same faces year after year," said Sylin Bynoe, World Airline Entertainment Association.
Business partnerships and sponsorships are still available. For more details about the 2006 series of World Quest events, visit www.hsmaiworldquest.org. For more information about the 2006 World Quest events or additional partnership and sponsorship opportunities, contact Derek Jenks at [email protected] or (703) 610-0223.
HSMAI is an organization of sales and marketing professionals representing all segments of the hospitality industry. With a strong focus on education, HSMAI has become the industry champion in identifying and communicating trends in the hospitality industry, and bringing together customers and members at eight annual events, including HSMAI's Affordable Meetings(R), and HSMAI World Quest. Founded in 1927, HSMAI is an individual membership organization comprising more than 7,000 members worldwide, with 38 chapters in the Americas region.
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