Hospitality Net

MCLEAN, VA -- The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Foundation has announced the re-launch of its eConnect® site (www.hsmaieconnect.org), now offering a 360 degree look at trends and developments in the hospitality sales and marketing industry. The homepage, which can be accessed by both members and non-members, has been enhanced with new content sections, including Industry Hot Topics, the eConnect Poll, and Featured Video from leading sources such as CNN, CNBC and YouTube.

“eConnect was initially developed to be the definitive source of trends and industry highlights for hospitality sales and marketing professionals – and it succeeded in doing so. As new online tools and strategies started becoming prevalent, we decided eConnect needed a makeover,” said Susan Thronson, senior vice president of global marketing at Marriott International, Inc., and HSMAI Foundation Chair. “The new eConnect now acts as an interactive portal for industry news, topics, trends and best practices. It’s a veritable one-stop shop that saves searching time and produces business results.”

eConnect now also features a daily selection of industry blogs and magazines. Selected from more than 150 industry sources, eConnect now provides feeds with daily content from leading portals such as hospitalitynet.org, hotelnewsnow.com, STR and hotelmarketing.com. Embedded blogger content includes hotel-blogs.com, Hotel Check-In (USAtoday.com), the Boot, Tnooz, and The McCluskey Blog, among many others.

Through eConnect, HSMAI members have access to six new searchable sections of in-depth content aligned to the needs of today’s sales and marketing discipline, including:

Each section features resources relating specifically to the section topic, including blogs, forums, professional development resources, magazine portals, vendor and supplier information, market reports, columns, and video, among others. The site’s “Industry News & Resources” section is open to all visitors and features hospitality industry and sales and marketing headlines, along with information on the latest HSMAI and industry events. There are also exclusive “toolkits” in each section with relevant templates and resources.

Industry professionals can sign up for a free 30-day trial eConnect membership to explore the majority of eConnect’s resources. To visit eConnect, please go to www.hsmaieconnect.org.

About HSMAI and HSMAI Foundation
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. Established in 1983 to serve as the research and educational arm of HSMAI, the HSMAI Foundation's mission is to expand and enhance the educational opportunities available to hospitality sales and marketing executives and to increase the amount of in-depth research conducted on behalf of the profession. For more information on HSMAI or the Foundation, 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 www.hsmai.org or www.hsmaifoundation.org.