Hospitality Net

MCLEAN, VA | The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI), along with presenting sponsor Fareed Zapala Koepke, has created a new award to honor individual leadership and achievement in the field of resort marketing. The inaugural HSMAI Resort Marketer of the Year Award will be announced at the Ninth Annual Resort Conference at the PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., May 3 – 5, 2009.

Eligible nominees must be employed within a hospitality organization, with current responsibilities focused on the branding, marketing and/or communications aspects of a resort.

“We created this award to celebrate the achievements of the professionals who are often behind the scenes, working to increase ROI and influence the resort’s bottom line,” said John Fareed, partner at Fareed Zapala Koepke.

A five-judge panel of experts in the field of resort marketing, consisting of board members of HSMAI’s Resort Marketing Special Interest Group and representatives from Fareed Zapala Koepke will evaluate entries and select one recipient from a field of three to five finalists.

“We are delighted to add this new award to the conference to recognize the outstanding work being done by the resort marketing community,” said Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHA, president and CEO of HSMAI.

The Resort Conference draws high-level executives including general managers, directors of sales and other department heads, such as those in revenue management, human resources and online marketing, and includes valuable networking opportunities for attendees. This year’s resort conference focuses on ways to maximize ROI in resort operations and marketing by connecting to the consumer. General sessions will address the issues and challenges resort professionals are facing today, summarize the implications, and provide real world solutions and strategies.

The conference, sponsored by the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) and the University of Denver’s School of Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism Management, is the only event planned by resort executives for resort executives. The agenda also includes presentation of the Resort Executive of the Year Award, sponsored by YPartnership and the University of Denver.

The 2009 Resort Conference will be held at the PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., a 339-room resort which offers 90 holes of championship golf, including the famed Champion Course, new home to the PGA Tour’s Honda Classic and past host of the 1983 Ryder Cup, the 1987 PGA Championship, and many others.

2009 Resort Conference partners include: American Express, Fareed Zapala Koepke, Cendyn, E-proDirect, ICEPortal, Incite Response, Resorts & Great Hotels, and TIG Global. For more information about the 2009 Conference, or a recap of previous events, visit www.resortconference.com. Those interested in sponsorship opportunities should contact Lesa Faris at (703) 506-3271 or lfaris@hsmai.org.

About HSMAI | HSMAI is the hospitality industry source for knowledge, community, and recognition for leaders committed to professional development, sales growth, revenue optimization, marketing, and branding. 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 annual events, including HSMAI's Affordable Meetings®. Founded in 1927, HSMAI is an individual membership organization comprising more than 7,000 members worldwide, with 40 chapters in the Americas Region. For more information on HSMAI, contact the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International, 1760 Old Meadow Road, Suite 500, McLean, Va. 22102; (703) 506-3280; fax (703) 506-3266, or visit the website at www.hsmai.org.

About HRTM | Established in 1946, the School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management (HRTM), part of the Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver, prepares undergraduate students for senior management positions in the fast-changing and competitive hospitality industry. As one of the most prominent hotel programs in the nation, the HRTM program enjoys a superb reputation for innovative educational programs. The student-oriented faculty members are internationally recognized for their contributions to teaching, research and publications in various hospitality fields. For more information on the HRTM program, visit www.daniels.du.edu/HRTM.aspx or contact Barb Pemble at (303) 871-4473 or e-mail: bpemble@du.edu.