Operations, Marketing, Industry Trends Focus Of Breakout Sessions For Resort Conference, April 16-18, 2008 In San Diego
Resort industry professionals will have the opportunity to take part in a series of breakout sessions focusing on three important educational tracks – Operations, Marketing and Industry Trends – during the 8th annual Resort Conference taking place at the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego from April 16-18, 2008. This important industry event – the only conference planned by resort executives for resort executives – is sponsored by the Hospitality...
MCLEAN, VA | Resort industry professionals will have the opportunity to take part in a series of breakout sessions focusing on three important educational tracks – Operations, Marketing and Industry Trends – during the 8th annual Resort Conference taking place at the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego from April 16-18, 2008. This important industry event – the only conference planned by resort executives for resort executives – is sponsored by the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI –
A full agenda has been planned for the resort industry at-large for two days of insightful education, debates and lively discussions. Nine different breakout sessions focusing on Operations, Marketing and Industry Trends will allow attendees to delve deeper into the future of the resort industry from social media to changing to sustainable practices without compromising property standards and customer expectations.
Sessions include the following:
OPERATIONS TRACK
Sustainable Community Relations/Cultural Practices
Sustainability isn’t just about the ecology. How can resorts contribute to the preservation of the culture and communities which they are part of, in order to maintain the authenticity of the traveler’s experience, the desirability of destinations, and mutually beneficial relations with the community?
- MODERATOR: Bruce Hutton, PhD, Dean, Daniels College of Business, University of Denver
- PANELISTS: Daryl Loth, Proprietor, Casa Marbella, and Biological Guide, Tortuguero National Park, Tortuguero, Costa Rica; Stephen Hilliard, Vice President – Resort & Club Operations, The St. Joe Company
Changing to Sustainable Practices Without Compromising Property Standards and Customer Expectations
Sustainable practices are, by definition, those which will be valued by resort guests. Developers and operators of resorts are challenged to identify those practices with value added opportunity for guests in terms of the environment and community. This session will discuss such practices using examples from various benchmark properties, and review identification process techniques that have been effective for the developers and operators of those benchmark properties.
- MODERATOR: Crist Inman, CEO, The LaPaz Group and INCAE Business School
- PANELISTS: Therese Virserius, CEO, Therese Virserius Design; Doug Fryett, Founder and President, Fryett Consulting Group
Securing payments: What the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards Mean for Your Resort
Information technology is a great business tool, but if not implemented properly, it can leave resorts exposed to great risks. Data security is a mounting concern among consumers, employees, and businesses alike due to the growing number of computer breaches and reports of identity theft. To address these risks and protect card holders, the payment card industry is implementing tougher security standards. Collectively, these are called Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards or PCI DSS for short.
This session will address the nuts and bolts of PCI DSS to help resort operators determine tactical strategies to ensure they are complying and safeguarding the information entrusted in them.
- MODERATOR: Daniel J. Connolly, PhD, Associate Professor, School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management, Daniels College of Business, University of Denver
- PANELISTS: Stephanie Breen, Principal, Credit Card Advisory Services; James O. Abrams, President & CEO, California Hotel & Lodging Association; Gene Kim, CTO and Founder, Tripwire, Inc.
Alliances in F&B – Partnering With Celebrity Chefs/Operators
Challenges and opportunities the food service industry faces in the 21st century.
- MODERATOR: Angelo Camillo, PhD, Assistant Professor, School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management, Daniels College of Business, University of Denver
- PANELISTS: Elizabeth Blau, Founder and CEO, Blau and Associates
MARKETING TRACK
Social Media and Social Networks: the Future of Hospitality Marketing
Social networking has fundamentally shifted the balance between consumer and marketer and created new communication tools to reach consumers, along with a new dynamic interactive environment. Wikis, widgets, blogs, YouTube and managing user generated content like consumer reviews will be discussed. The author of the groundbreaking and comprehensive new report published by TIA and the HSMAI Foundation – The Travel Marketer’s Guide to Social Media & Social Networks – and a panel of industry marketers who grapple with these emerging strategies everyday—will address the new world of Sales and Marketing in a Web 2.0 world
- MODERATOR: Cindy Estis Green, Managing Partner, The Estis Group
- PANELISTS: Meltem Priest, Vice President, Marketing & E-Commerce, Western Region, Marriott International; Rob Fuggetti, CEO, Zuberance; Jill Howard-Allen, Online Marketing Manager, Southwest Airlines
Embracing The Power of “Green” To Market Your Resort - A Best Practices Discussion
Industry experts discuss marketing strategies behind environmentally friendly trends, and share examples of how many resorts are using the power of “Green” to gain media coverage, improve the guest experience, win more meetings business, and ultimately meet consumer demand.
- MODERATOR: John Fareed, Partner, Fareed Zapala Koepke, LLC
- PANELISTS: Mark Glickman, Director of Sales and Marketing, Mauna Lani Resort; Mike Hartman, Owner, Tiamo Resorts; Pirjo Niemi, Senior Vice President of Operations and Purchasing, Ambassadors, LLC.
Current State and Future Trends in Group Sales
Explore various channel management techniques for group sales.
- MODERATOR: Barry Brown, Director of Sales & Marketing, Hotel del Coronado
- PANELISTS: David Gabri, President & CEO, Associated Luxury Hotels International; Kelly Foy, CEO, Elite Meetings International; Paul Gray, Senior Director of Sales, Starcite
TRENDS TRACK
Immigration Reform (Or Not)…What Are The Implications For…
Changing immigration laws; negotiating today’s laws for hiring foreign employees and future trends.
- MODERATOR: Paul Laesecke, Senior Lecturer, School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management, Daniels College of Business, University of Denver
- PANELISTS: Cindy Clark, Director of Human Resources, Broadmoor; Kimberly Best Robidoux, Senior Associate, Larrabee/Mehlman, Albi, Coker, LLP.
Vacation Compression – What Do Leisure Travelers Need Now?
More than half of all U.S. workers fail to take all of their annual vacation days. What implication does this have for the resort industry? What new products are needed to get leisure travelers out of the office and into your resorts?
- MODERATOR: Robert Mill, PhD, Professor, School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management, Daniels College of Business, University of Denver
- PANELISTS: Terri Haack, Executive Vice President and Managing Director, Terranea Resort; Betsy Bender, PhD, Associate Professor, University of South Carolina
In addition to the breakout sessions, attendees will also hear from keynote speakers during several general sessions where they will be able to:
- Gain insight into the business philosophy of Chip Conley, Founder and CEO of Joie de Vivre Hospitality
- See where the industry has been with Peter Yesawich, PH.D., President and CEO, Y Partnership
- Find out where it is headed with Suzanne Cook of the Travel Industry Association (TIA)
- Learn the current trends in sustainability from Crist Inman of The La Paz Group
On Wednesday, April 16 the HSMAI Foundation will hold its annual Golf Tournament; the HSMAI Resort Marketing Special Interest Group will have its Best Practices Subscribers Meeting; and Hotel del Coronado will sponsor a welcome reception. At the conference conclusion, property tours will be held from 1:00 – 4:30 pm.
Attendees represent a diverse group of resort-minded professionals, including general managers, directors of sales and other department heads such as those in revenue management, rooms division, human resources and online marketing, as well as corporate staff from resort companies.
Gold sponsors of the 8th Annual Resort Conference are: American Express, Elite Meetings International and ResortsandLodges.com. Silver sponsors include Agilysys, Air Marketing, Fareed/Zapala/Koepke, Five-Star AudioVisual, Getty Images, Incite Response, Navis, Sybaritic and TIG Global.
The cost to attend if registered by March 14, 2008 is $625 for HSMAI members and $750 for non-members. After March 14, the cost is $725 for HSMAI members and $825 for non-members. The non-members charge includes a one year membership in HSMAI.
For more information on the 2008 Resort Conference, visit