New HSMAI'S MEET NATIONAL Sees Strong ROI For Planners and Suppliers

Virtual, Reverse Trade Show and Revisioned Education Program Receive Endorsements

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. September 16, 2011

MCLEAN, VA - September 15, 2011 - The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International's cutting-edge education and marketplace event, HSMAI's MEET: Meetings, Events, Education, Technology, the successor to the renowned Affordable Meetings®, kicked off Sept. 7-8 in Washington D.C., to glowing reviews. With more than 2,000 meeting, event and industry professionals in attendance, the show provided a platform that encouraged new business bookings, networking events, continued education and the utilization of industry-changing technology.

“This was my first time attending in three years, and the changes resulted in an awesome show,” said Loretta Howard, National/State Association Sales Manager, Irving Convention and Visitors Bureau. “It was a great show for face-to-face selling, and the educational sessions were full of valuable information.”

More than 500 appointments were pre-booked through HSMAI's One-to-One Meeting Concierge and the new HSMAI's TEEM Up component of the show (pictured left), allowing attendees and exhibitors to maximize their time. HSMAI's TEEM Up, a two-hour reverse tradeshow buyer appointment expo offered great value to both planners and suppliers by setting appointments based on planners' specific needs. The format was described as a "speed exhibit hall" by Mandy Davis of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

"You can avoid interruptions and see just who you want to see," said Davis, adding that, "TEEM Up gave me a dedicated time to ask the questions I wanted to ask in a controlled time frame."

Suppliers also found the format conducive to conducting business. Margaret Victor from Rock Resorts commented: “TEEM Up was great for Rock Resorts. We secured one site visit and two RFPs. Overall it was a very good and new way to host meetings with planners.”

“In response to feedback from our planner and exhibitor advisory boards and deep research of industry trends, we designed HSMAI's MEET to reflect the needs of a meetings industry that is more dynamic than ever,” said Fran Brasseux, HSMAI Executive Vice President. “We couldn't be happier with this year's event and are thrilled that many of the attendees found strong ROI at HSMAI's MEET.”

Hundreds of planners also took part in HSMAI's MEET from their offices via a new virtual component, HSMAI's MEET On, produced in conjunction with Freeman. Twelve conference sessions were simulcast from the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, allowing planners who could not attend in person the opportunity to share in the education. They were able to ask questions of the speakers, interact with other virtual attendees, and view videos and other information from HSMAI's MEET exhibitors and sponsors. Planners can access HSMAI's MEET On platform, a prototype product from Freeman, year-round at www.hsmaimeeton.com for free.

Day one of HSMAI's MEET treated attendees to a keynote speech from Laura Schwartz, author of the acclaimed book Eat, Drink, Succeed and former White House director of events during the Clinton administration (pictured left). Speaking to a capacity crowd, Schwartz shared examples of lessons learned and best practices at high profile Presidential events and provided insights on how they could relate back to events of all sizes and scope.

Placing a firm commitment on education, HSMAI's MEET included a comprehensive roster of concurrent breakout sessions led by industry experts from around the country. Covering topics that ranged from how to leverage social media for event planning to tips for building content that will increase revenue, attendees found great value in all of the educational sessions. HSMAI's MEET University included a diverse range of formats, from traditional seminars to informal "unconference" settings, peer-to-peer roundtables, and case study workshops. Industry professionals also took part in new dedicated educational sessions for them conducted by Signature Worldwide.

"As a planner, being able to see and experience the different learning environments was very valuable,” said D'Wayne Leatherland, CMP, owner/principal of Leatherland Consulting & Management Services. “I hope to be able to implement some of them in my own events. I was very impressed with all the new components of HSMAI's MEET."

Visit www.hsmaimeet.com for more information about HSMAI's MEET, HSMAI's MEET On, and 2012 events.

About HSMAI
The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) is committed to growing business for hotels and their partners, and is the industry's leading advocate for intelligent, sustainable hotel revenue growth. The association provides hotel professionals & their partners with tools, insights, and expertise to fuel sales, inspire marketing, and optimize revenue through programs such as HSMAI's MEET, Adrian Awards, and Revenue Optimization Conference. HSMAI is an individual membership organization comprising more than 7,000 members worldwide, with 40 chapters in the Americas Region. Connect with HSMAI at www.hsmai.org, www.facebook.com/hsmai, www.twitter.com/hsmai and www.youtube.com/hsmai1.

Media Contact:
Lindsay Stout
Edelman
214-443-7586
[email protected]