HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® West Returns To San Jose, Ca, June 19-20, 2007; New Tuesday – Wednesday Date Pattern Introduced

“We recognize there is an extremely skilled group of planners throughout California, so our return to San Jose this year allows meeting professionals to take advantage of outstanding educational opportunities and lets exhibitors tap into a superb resource in the northern part of the state,” notes Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHA, president and CEO of HSMAI. “In addition, we will have a Tuesday start for the West program this year and hope to attract some new faces as well as welcome repeat attendees,” he noted.

Educational Opportunities

Meeting planners are encouraged to take full advantage of the exceptional educational component of the HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® West show, which will feature 15 seminars and five in-depth workshops that present a broad range of topics such as meeting contracts, site selection, negotiation skills, budgeting, effective communication, food and beverage selections, technology, marketing and more. As an added benefit, attendees will receive a complimentary spiral-bound book containing handouts from all of the seminars so they will have access to the ideas and insights shared during each of the sessions and workshops.

In addition to the seminars and workshops, HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® West will feature a high-energy, interactive general session on “The Future of the Meetings Industry: Impact and Actions.” During this presentation, Joan Eisenstodt, Chief Strategist, Eisenstodt Associates, and Marsha L. Rhea, CAE, Senior Futurist, Institute for Alternative Futures, will conduct a lively and fascinating session that paints a clear picture of what the meetings industry will be like in years ahead and what core competencies planners will need in the future to be considered a successful meeting professional. All attendees and suppliers are encouraged to attend this informative seminar.

Outstanding Tradeshow Exhibition

HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® West will once again offer attendees the opportunity to meet and do business with more than 250 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 cost-effective 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.

The exposition encompasses a plethora of activities and opportunities for meeting planners such as meeting one-on-one with industry experts at the Speakers Corner and researching a broad selection of destinations and services at all price points.

Prizes, Free Lunches and Much More!

jetBlue Airways tickets, AMEX gift cards and cash prizes, as well as drawings at many exhibitor booths remain popular attractions. Tradeshow hours allow planners to do business on the exposition floor from 10:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. on both days.

During the exposition, exhibitors and attendees will be provided with a $10 coupon on both days of the show to buy lunch at the food concessions in the exposition hall, compliments of HSMAI.

Meeting planners can also visit the HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® Bookstore, 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, as well as a complete line of CMP study materials.

Best Booth Awards Program

For the second year in a row, HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® will be conducting its “Best Booth Awards Program” to acknowledge those vendors who show exemplary efforts in targeting and enticing attendees. Categories to be recognized for single and multiple booths include: Best New Exhibitor Booth, Best Overall Booth and Best On-Site Booth Promotion and Marketing. Winners will be announced and prizes awarded during the show.

Over 700 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® West 2007 show.

Attendance at HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® West is free-of-charge for qualified meeting planners, defined as those who work full-time, part-time, or as decision-making volunteers for corporations, associations, independent planning businesses, or other active organizations.

The final show on the 2007 program is HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® National, taking place Sept. 5-6, 2007 at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.

HSMAI's MEET West 2012 30-31 May 2012 Anaheim Marriott United States - Anaheim , CA More Information | Website

HSMAI's MEET National 2012 5-6 September 2012 Walter E. Washington Convention Center United States - Washington , DC More Information | Website