The HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® show series for 2007 includes:

• HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® Mid-America
  April 11-12, 2007
  Navy Pier – Chicago, IL
  
  
• HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® West*
  June 19-20, 2007
  San Jose McEnery Convention Center – San Jose, CA
  Note: This year’s program will take place Tuesday – Wednesday
  (previous West shows ran Wednesday – Thursday)
  
  
• HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® National
  Sept. 5-6, 2007
  Washington Convention Center – Washington, D.C.

“Designed for meeting planners looking to enhance their professional career and organize high-caliber events and exhibitors seeking to target quality planners, we encourage that planners and suppliers mark their calendars for the 2007 Affordable Meetings® shows,” said Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHA, president and CEO of HSMAI. “We’ve been riding a remarkable wave of success with sold-out events and/or outstanding attendance numbers throughout the entire year, and we anticipate that the 2007 program will follow suit.”

The first show in the 2006 series, HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® Mid-America, took place March 29-30 at Navy Pier in Chicago and welcomed 1,048 meetings planners. HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® West took place June 14-15 at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, CA (the West program alternates between Long Beach and San Jose, CA) and attracted 660 attendees. As the largest program of the series, HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® National show took place Sept. 6 - 7, 2006 at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. and welcomed 1,585 qualified meeting and events planners.

Meeting and event planners attending HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® exposition and educational conferences represent a variety of organizations, with a majority from association, corporate and independent sectors. Attendance is free-of-charge for qualified meeting planners.

Each of the HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® events offers an exceptional educational component that presents a broad range of topics such as meeting contracts, on-site management, negotiation skills, budgeting, effective communication, technology, marketing, designing a brochure and more. As an added benefit, attendees receive a complimentary spiral bound book containing handouts from all of the seminars.

One of the most appealing components of each HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® show is the diverse trade show featuring an abundance of properties and services at all price points. 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. Prepared to provide the best products and services, exhibitors assist planners by offering cost-effective meeting packages and enticing incentives.

In addition to a broad selection of destinations, hotels and services, the trade show floor features a Speaker’s Booth where meeting planners can liaise with industry experts. The HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® Bookstore, is a one-stop shopping source for attendees to find the most up-to-date publications and resource materials focusing on the needs of meeting planners at every level of experience. Travel and cash prizes, as well as drawings at many exhibitor booths remain popular attractions.

HSMAI’S AFFORDABLE MEETINGS® | HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® is owned and presented by the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International Americas region and managed by George Little Management, LLC (GLM).

For more information, contact Beth Petersen, show manager, GLM, at (914) 421-3377; fax (914) 948-2918; e-mail: beth_petersen@glmshows.com. Attendee information is available by calling 1-800-272-SHOW. Additional information can be obtained by visiting the show’s web site at www.affordablemeetings.com.