MCLEAN, VA | The 2,000-plus meeting planners who are expected to attend HSMAI's Affordable Meetings® National Conference and Exposition and the debut of Event Technology Expo™ (ETE) @ Affordable Meetings at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC, September 10-11, 2008, mean business. Ninety percent of attendees state that they are looking for new resources from suppliers and 56 percent of attendees say that Affordable Meetings is the only conference they choose to attend.

"We expect this year to be our largest turn-out to date with the addition of ETE," said Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHA, president and CEO of HSMAI. "Not only do we have the opportunity to expand our attendee base, but we can also offer new resources to our planners with the addition of event technology companies on the exhibitor roster."

Planners will have free access to 42 seminars and in-depth workshops that present a broad range of topics such as meeting contracts, site selection, budgeting, food and beverage selections, technology, marketing and more.

The conference agenda features 28 new seminars this year, including 18 sessions on event technology subjects. One of the highlights will be a general session presented by LinkedIn Co-Founder Allen Blue, who will discuss the opportunities that LinkedIn presents to meetings, events, and conference organizers to aid attendance and engagement pre- and post-event.

Other new additions to the agenda include:

• Meeting Planners and Hoteliers: Creating a Masterpiece Means Sharing Your Paints and Brushes
• Merlin’s Magic: Special Event Cheap Chic
• Trends in the Meeting Industry
• Greener Meetings With Less Stress
• Request for Proposal: Preparing an RFP That Gets the
• Results You Want
• Successful Site Selection and On-Site Management
• Thriving in a Volatile Buyers/Sellers Marketplace
• Discovering Your Powers of Persuasion
• Leveraging PR to Maximize Integrated Marketing

Attendees representing meeting and event planners from a variety of organizations, with a majority representing corporate, association and independent sectors and the balance from government, non-profit, education, religious and medical/healthcare organizations, trade show management and the military, are expected to visit HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings National and ETE 2008 show. Attendance at HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings National and Event Technology Expo is free-of-charge for qualified meeting planners.

Booth space is still available at Affordable Meetings National and can be obtained by contacting Stephanie Leon-Santiago, exhibit sales coordinator, GLM, (914) 421-3213 e-mail: [email protected].

Attendee information for HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® National is available by calling 914-421-3200 Ext. 7777. For additional information and a complete program schedule, visit www or go to .

Event Technology Expo at HSMAI's Affordable Meetings® National is an exposition and conference addressing all aspects of technology as it relates to tradeshows, meetings, and special events. For information regarding exhibiting, contact Rob Weissman, Co-Producer, 212-679-9212, [email protected]. Call 914.421.3200 Ext 7777, for information on attending Event Technology Expo. Visit for more information.

About HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® National | HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings National will once again offer attendees the opportunity to meet and do business with more than 450 exhibiting companies during a unique exposition that will showcase venues, products and services to help produce various types of meetings and events. Year-after-year, the highly-acclaimed trade exposition is a main attraction for attendees looking to meet and network with knowledgeable suppliers who are determined to help produce valuable meetings and assist with purchasing decisions. Exhibitors represent hotels and resorts, university conference centers, unique meeting sites, convention and visitor bureaus, transportation companies, trade publications, software and audio/visual businesses, and other meeting and convention suppliers. HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings is owned and presented by the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International Americas region and managed by GLM, a dmg world media business. Visit or email [email protected] for more information.

About HSMAI | 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 annual events, including HSMAI's Affordable Meetings(r). Founded in 1927, HSMAI is an individual membership organization comprising more than 7,000 members worldwide, with 40 chapters in the Americas Region. For more information on HSMAI, 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 the website at .

Rachel Rosenberg
+1 404-832-7711
HSMAI