It was a long time in the making but Fairmont's Jens Thraenhart had the vision and put an experienced and talented group together under the HSMAI umbrella. Now, industry leaders are discussing the many issues related to the Internet and sharing their Internet strategy. In this streaming audio interview, two of the advisory board members give us the first-look of this new group.

Related Press Release:
HSMAI Forms Internet Marketing Committee Made Up Of Industry's Major Hotel Brands
Related Interview with Jens Thraenhart
A Rising Star talks Internet Strategy and On-Line Distribution

Jens Thraenhart is a native of Germany with 15 years of international hospitality experience in hotel and restaurant operations, revenue management, sales & marketing, e-business, strategic planning, as well as hospitality consulting with companies such as Four Seasons, Fairmont, Marriott, Kempinski, and Ian Schrager Hotels. Prior to joining Fairmont, he co-founded a New York City-based Internet company focused on upscale leisure travel. He holds an MBA-accredited Masters of Management in Hospitality from the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration. Jens acts as chair of the HSMAI Internet Marketing Committee, is a member of the advisory board of the Canadian Code of Practice for Consumer Protection in Electronic Commerce, and was recently recognized as one of the travel industry's top 100 rising stars by Travel Agent Magazine.

As Director of Internet Strategy, Jens is responsible for setting, communicating, and executing Fairmont's overall direction on the Internet, including the company's websites, online marketing, search engine optimization, web distribution, and trademark protection in order to increase revenues and brand awareness.

HSMAI is an organization of sales and marketing professionals representing all segments of the hospitality and travel industry. With a strong focus on education, HSMAI has become the industry champion in identifying and communicating trends in the hospitality industry, while operating as a leading voice for both hospitality and sales and marketing management disciplines. Founded in 1927, HSMAI is an individual membership organization comprised of nearly 7,000 members from 35 countries and 60 chapters worldwide. For more information on HSMAI, or to participate in the Internet Marketing Committee, contact the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International, 8201 Greensboro Drive, Suite 300, McLean, VA 22102, phone (703) 610-9024; fax (703) 610-9005. You can also visit the web site at www.hsmai.org.

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts is a collection of world-class resorts and city center hotels that enjoy unrivalled prominence in the communities where they are located. Operating 42 properties throughout six countries, Fairmont is committed to providing guests with exceptional service in distinctive surroundings. Featuring such storied hotels as The Fairmont San Francisco, The Fairmont Banff Springs, Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac and The Plaza, Fairmont properties are often deemed attractions in and of themselves. For more information visit us online at www.fairmont.com.

Kevin Heilbronner is the US Editor for wiredhotelier.com and hospitalitynet.org, providing streaming multimedia-content for these websites. Based outside of Washington DC, Heilbronner has worked with Hsyndicate to conduct interviews at several hospitality trade shows in the US and Europe over the last couple of years. His column and content are featured in the Hospitality Net weekly newsletter. A familiar voice in Washington, DC, Heilbronner is the stadium announcer for the NBA's Washington Wizards, WNBA's Washington Mystics and WUSA's Washington Freedom. He resides in Centreville, VA and can be reached via email: [email protected].

Jason Smith
703-610-9024
HSMAI