Meeting Concierge Service Leads New Features Of HSMAI's Affordable Meetings® National

The premiere series of tradeshows geared towards generating business and fostering relationships between meeting planners, properties and vendors will continue with the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International’s (HSMAI) Affordable Meetings® National Exhibition and Conference and Event Technology Expo™ at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., from Sept. 8-9, 2010.

Highlighting the 2010 Affordable Meetings® National event are keynote speakers Michael Tchong and Christine Duffy. Tchong, trend analyst, Ubercool LLC, will deliver a speech titled, “Reinventing Your Meeting Business,” while Duffy, president and CEO, Maritz Travel, will enlighten the crowd with her insight on the future of meetings.

“2010 started with a little uncertainty within the meeting and hospitality industries,” said Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHA, president and CEO of HSMAI. “From the feedback HSMAI has received from attendees and exhibitors, the Affordable Meetings® Mid-America and West conferences have been instrumental in giving planners and properties a venue to discuss their mutual challenges, stay informed on industry trends and best practices and importantly reaffirm partnerships. I am confident that this year’s National event will even further boost business, confidence and momentum amongst planners and vendors.”

Prior to this year’s Affordable Meetings® National, attendees can utilize HSMAI’s One-to-One Meeting Concierge which works individually with planners to schedule appointments with exhibitors they are most interested in meeting with during the show. The personal service was a tremendous success leading up to both Affordable Meetings® Mid-America and Affordable Meetings® West and responsible for arranging hundreds of pre-scheduled appointments between the two shows.

More than 2,000 meeting and industry professionals gathered for professional and business development at HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® National in 2009

“We were very pleased with the One-to-One Meeting Concierge service. HSMAI and Affordable Meetings took the time to source appropriate planners who want to meet with us, which makes the show very profitable,” said Affordable Meetings West exhibitor Patrick Wilson of Avi Resort & Casino.

The One-to-One Meeting Concierge program is just one of the new features of the 2010 Affordable Meetings shows. In addition, HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings has introduced a Meeting Guarantee program which gives each exhibitor a customized report of qualified meeting and event planner buyers, CMP and Senior Leader breakfasts, a geographically organized trade show, and educational tracks geared toward today’s meeting planners.

Attendees at Affordable Meetings National have the opportunity to choose from 29 educational seminars addressing advanced, intermediate, medical, government and technology issues. These cutting edge seminars are presented by an outstanding faculty of educators who understand the rewards and challenges of the meetings and events industry.

HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings National will also feature the Event Technology Expo ™ (ETE). Attendees can discover the latest in online registration, video-conferencing, social networking, web-and podcasting, lead management and much more. Special exhibits and seminars cover the most vital tech-related issues and trends.

Nearly 2,000 attendees, representing meeting and event planners from a variety of organizations, with a majority representing corporate, association and independent sectors and the balance from government, non-profit, education, religious and medical/health care organizations, trade show management and the military, are expected to visit HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® National 2010 show. Attendance at HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® National is free-of-charge for qualified meeting planners.

Planners can also register for two new sessions: a “Strategic Meeting Management Workshop” September 8, and a two-day “Meeting Planning “Boot Camp”, Sept. 8-9.

Booth space is still available at the National show and can be obtained by contacting Craig Baker, account manager, J. Spargo & Associates, Inc. (703) 679-3942, e-mail: [email protected].

Attendee information for HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® National is available by calling 800-564-4220. For additional information and a complete program schedule, visit .

About HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® National | HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® National will once again offer attendees the opportunity to meet and do business with more than 350 exhibiting companies during a unique exposition that will showcase venues, products and services to help produce various types of meetings and events. Year-after-year, the highly-acclaimed trade exposition is a main attraction for attendees looking to meet and network with knowledgeable suppliers who are determined to help produce valuable meetings and assist with purchasing decisions. Exhibitors represent hotels and resorts, university conference centers, unique meeting sites, convention and visitor bureaus, transportation companies, trade publications, software and audio/visual businesses, and other meeting and convention suppliers. HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® is owned and presented by the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International Americas region and managed by J. Spargo & Associates, Inc. Visit for more information. Join our social networking communities on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.