September 4, 2005

Experts To Address Impact Of Hurricane Katrina On Travel And Tourism & The ROI Of Sales & Marketing At 5th Annual HSMAI/NYU Industry Strategy Conference

MCLEAN, VA | Laurence S. Geller, president and CEO of Strategic Hotel Capital, Inc. and other leading industry experts will headline the agenda addressing the impact of Hurricane Katrina and the issues surrounding ROI in today’s rapidly changing landscape for sales and marketing strategies at the Fifth Annual Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI)/NYU Industry Strategy Conference.

HSMAI (USA)

“The information and ideas generated from this conference will be crucial to the strategic planning, budgeting and marketing for 2006,” said Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHA, president and CEO of HSMAI. “Positively influencing the bottom line in all areas of sales and marketing is what should be on everyone’s mind as we gear up for the new year, and the expertise and advice gathered from this event will be an invaluable asset.”

“We have assembled a prestigious line-up of seasoned executives who have the experience and knowledge to debate the issues and provide great insight into the topics that are top of mind,” added Dr. Lalia Rach, associate dean and director, New York University Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism and Sports Management.

Following is the conference agenda:

11:30am: Welcome
11:40am - 12:25pm: The Issues Facing Hospitality, Travel and Tourism Following the Disaster of Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf Coast presented by Laurence S. Geller President and CEO, Strategic Hotel Capital, Inc.
12:25pm - 12:45pm: Lunch and Presentation of HSMAI/NYU Excellence in Sales & Marketing Strategy Award
12:45pm - 1:15pm: Examining Sales and Marketing Expense Trends.

R. Mark Woodworth, executive vice president, PKF Hospitality Research, will release for the first time at this conference the results of a new HSMAI/PKF survey examining the shifts in hotel sales and marketing expense trends.

1:15pm - 1:45pm: Examining Trends in Customer Relationship Management (CRM).

Dr. Lalia Rach, associate dean and director, Tisch Center will interview an industry expert in CRM and explore their perceptions about how to measure the ROI on CRM initiatives.

1:45pm - 2:15pm: Examining the ROI in Customer Relationship Management (CRM). Maureen O’Hanlon, senior consultant, Prism Partners and current chair, HSMAI, will moderate a panel of industry practitioners and thought leaders as they debate the ROI of CRM and discuss various ways their companies measure CRM.

Panelists: Jill Noblett, vice president of Loyalty and Direct Marketing, Cendant; Jeff Senior, senior vice president, Marketing and Sales, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts; Menka Uttamchandani, director, Affinia Hospitality

2:15pm -2:30 pm: Break
2:30pm – 3:00pm: Maximizing Your Advertising Dollars – Offline vs. Online.

Dr. Lalia Rach will interview two media buyers, including Ed Weiner, president & CEO, Media First International, for large travel industry marketing and advertising companies to discuss the purchasing shifts in traditional print and electronic media.

3:00pm - 3:30pm: Examining the ROI in Advertising. Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHA, president & CEO, HSMAI, will moderate a panel of industry practitioners and thought leaders as they debate the ROI of online vs. offline advertising.

Panelists: Andy Assante, vice president, National Accounts, Expedia, Inc.; R. Lynn Burkholder, director of Marketing, Hershey Resorts; Trip Schneck, president, TIG Global

3:30pm – 4:00pm: The Evolving Role of Direct Sales. Dr. Lalia Rach will interview two corporate sales executives, including Richard Harper, vice president of Sales & Marketing, Mandalay Bay Resort, to discuss the challenges faced by front line sales people today and the investments necessary to capture a ROI in sales and marketing human capital.
4:00pm - 4:30pm: Is direct sales dead? Moderated by Fran Brasseux, executive vice president, HSMAI. A panel of corporate sales executives and their customers will discuss the pros and cons of how to do effective direct sales today.
4:30pm: Conference wrap-up

Sponsors for the event include American Express, Hotel & Motel Management, Newmarket International, The Westin New York at Times Square, and TIG Global. Information on sponsorships is available from HSMAI Director of Development Melanie Penoyar at (703) 610-9024 or [email protected].

Registration fees are $245 for members and $395 for non-members (which includes a one-year membership in HSMAI). There will be a student/faculty rate at a 50% discount.

NYU | The Preston Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism and Sports Management at New York University is a dynamic and growing educational and research center founded in July of 1995. The Tisch Center offers an extensive complement of hospitality, tourism and sports management academic programs of study including two bachelor’s degree programs, three master’s degree programs, and certificate programs. The curriculum focus is on asset management, financial analysis, destination management, marketing, and customer relationship management.

HSMAI is an organization of sales and marketing professionals representing all segments of the hospitality industry. 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 15 annual events. Founded in 1927, HSMAI is an individual membership organization comprising nearly 7,000 members worldwide, with 38 chapters in the Americas region.

For more information on HSMAI, 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 .

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