Get Ready for the Hotel Distribution Trends of 2008! | Attend HEDNA's Conference on Dec. 3-5, 2007 in Phoenix

How can the travel industry build on its know-how and create a digital travel experience that gets raves from customers?

Find out by attending HEDNA's conference, "Shaping the Future: Turning History into Success," to be held December 3-5, 2007 at the Arizona Grand Resort (formerly Pointe South Mountain Resort) in Phoenix, Arizona.

Keynote Speakers

Opening Keynote: Henry Harteveldt, Forrester Research
Is this really the year of supplier power or are the dynamics changing yet again? Henry Harteveldt of Forrester Research will open the 2007 winter meeting by presenting the latest trends and statistics for the hospitality industry. Henry will share his thoughts on the state of our industry and an insightful look at the dynamics shaping our future. You won't want to miss the opportunity for a Fireside Chat with Henry Harteveldt of Forrester Research on Wednesday, December 5th.

Closing Keynote: Daniel Levine, Founder, Avant-Guide
Daniel Levine will close the meeting with an energetic presentation of Tomorrow Today: The five cultural trends that will propel hotel electronic distribution into the next decade. Hospitality marketing professionals need to know what will be, not just what is now, so strap yourself in and get ready for an exhilarating look forward to the most fascinating and profitable trends heading our way. Brimming with to-the-point examples of where culture and business are headed, this one-of-a-kind presentation reveals the driving forces behind major cultural shifts that are affecting the bedrock of our business. While this presentation is funny and entertaining (with much humor and cutting-edge visuals), the focus is on the practical. You will see some of the coolest global web-based developments that will substantially impact your businesses, and you will learn how to take advantage of innovative ideas from around the world to improve your business at home. Most of all, you will gain insight into new technologies and paradigms you can immediately put to use, and walk away with innovative ideas that will inspire growth within in your own workplace.

Interactive Panels and Presentations

• Our GDS Partners Share their Best Practices | Changing consumer-buying behavior is driving innovations in hotel technology. Find out how GDSs R&D investments are helping the hotel industry adapt to new ways of selling and managing their operations. What technology developments are a reality today and tomorrow, and how will this help hotels grow their business?
  Globalization and emerging geographic markets open up a myriad of opportunities for hotels of all shapes and sizes. What are the trends and requirements of travel agencies in new hotspots, and how can hotels tap into this potential to grow their bookings?
  The light at the end of the tunnel? Prepayment, commission management and rates have long been frustrations for both hotels and travel agencies. What are the GDSs doing to address these issues and when and how will hotels reap the benefits?
  Moderator - Arnie Weissman, Travel Weekly
  Panelists: Amadeus - Jean de Durfort, Head of Hotel Distribution, Amadeus IT Group | Stephen Fitzgerald, Vice President, Hotel & Car Distribution, Sabre Travel Network | Keith Harrison, Director of Operations, Hotel & Car, Galileo International
  
  
• Do we really know our online customer? | We have all seen the surveys that tell us what customers look for when booking travel. Now is the time to hear it directly from the customer! Come hear what is important for a mother of two when buying travel as opposed to a travel agent selling travel. Panelists who all have different backgrounds in purchasing travel will share what they look for. You can't afford to miss what your customers are saying about their online experience.
  Moderator: John Burns, CHA Owner, Hospitality Technology Consulting
  
  
• Payments - What Hoteliers can Learn from other Industries | Mike Carlo, Business Development Manager, GlobalCollect | GlobalCollect is the leading Payment Service Provider of local payment solutions for international businesses. Its expertise in electronic payment methods (e-payments) for Customer Non-Present (CNP) businesses such as internet, mail, telephone order is greatly valued by clients from a wide range of industries such as travel, ticketing, telecommunications, retail, publishing, portals, online games, and digital content.
  
  
• Commission Processing | Commissions are the little brother who always tags along and will never go away. What are some of the struggles facing suppliers and how are they being tackled? This panel includes three of the biggest players in the commission processing arena who will share the current challenges facing the commission sector of the travel industry and what tools and best practices are available to suppliers to guide them through the complex world of commissions.
  Moderator: Paul Hoffmann, President of eCommission Solutions
  Panelists: Stephen Cherico, Product Manager, Perot Systems
• Angela Ybarra, Commercial VP, World Payment Solutions
  
  
• Featured Presentation -- Mike Kistner, Pegasus | Mike Kistner, COO and Executive Vice President of Pegasus Solutions, will share his views on the changing distribution environment and where electronic distribution will be in three years. Kistner will also share his insight regarding consolidation in the marketplace and how it is affecting the industry.
  
  
• Featured Presentation -- Spencer Rascoff, Zillow.com | Spencer Rascoff, Chief Financial Officer of Zillow.com, will share similarities in distribution and e-commerce between the hospitality and the real estate market. This insightful session will illustrate that no matter what industry, all businesses are seeking and implementing new approaches to distribute their product and reach a targeted and expanded customer base.
  
  
• Onward and Upward: Utilizing Technology to Advance Our Industry | This panel will highlight the roles of the major industry associations in the hotel marketing, sales, and distribution environment. Led by senior officers of HEDNA, Hotel Technology Next Generation (HTNG), and OpenTravel Alliance (OTA), this panel will help attendees to understand the structure, objectives, and role of each organization and, equally important, how they work together to deliver value to the industry. The session will be broken into three parts - each part will include short presentations by each of the organizations, and a panel discussion with lots of opportunity for audience participation.
  Panelists: Douglas Rice, Executive VP & CEO - HTNG | Valyn Perini, Executive Director - OpenTravel Alliance | Edward Perry, Director of E-Commerce WORLDHOTELS

Need More Information? Contact Us!
If you need more information about the conference, or if you are a member of the press who would like to cover the conference, please contact Hope Mathis at HEDNA Headquarters at [email protected] or phone: +1 202-205-8400. Tiffany Topcik, President, HEDNA at [email protected] or phone: +1 847-224-0153.