McLean, Va. | In the current economic climate, hospitality industry and agency professionals have given 110 percent to marketing, advertising and public relations programs and have gotten extremely creative to produce results.

The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) will recognize those who went above and beyond in the past year with the 53rd annual HSMAI Adrian Awards and announces the “Call for Entries,” opening July 15. The HSMAI Adrian Awards will recognize travel-related industry and agency professionals who have created ROI-producing, awe-inspiring campaigns. The early deadline for entries is Aug. 31, and the final deadline is Sept. 15.

The HSMAI Adrian Awards competition is comprised of multiple categories in three entry divisions: advertising, public relations, and web marketing. Additionally, top achievers will also be considered for specialty awards: Luxury Marketing Achievement Award presented by DEPARTURES Magazine, eMarketer of the Year Award presented by TravelCLICK, and Google’s Wisdom of the Crowd Award. TripAdvisor will also be presenting its Travelers’ Choice Awards at the Adrian Awards Gala for the first time.

“The Adrian Awards offer prestigious and well-deserved recognition for these industry achievers,” said Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHA, president and CEO of HSMAI, “Now more than ever, we are proud to take the time to acknowledge the hard work of our peers as they promote the travel and tourism industry.”

The judging panel for the competition consists of more than 200 industry experts from advertising, public relations, media, and web marketing disciplines, along with leading members of the travel community. Industry professionals can apply to join the judging panel by completing the judging application online.

2009 winners will join the ranks of industry heavy-hitters who have proven their creativity drives not only awareness but also the bottom line. The 2008 Adrian Awards honored Emirates as “Best of Show” in Advertising for an integrated campaign with powerful messaging and broad execution. Holiday Inn Express won “Best of Show” in the Web Marketing category for a Web site that engaged its audience and drove public relations and social media buzz by riding on a timely and relevant theme. For the first time in Adrian Awards history, “Best of Show” for public relations went to two recipients, Singapore Airlines and Holiday Inn Express for raising product awareness and garnering unprecedented publicity, respectively.

“We use the HSMAI Adrian Awards as a way for our clients and our agency to benchmark our work against our peers in the industry. It’s a way to measure innovation, validate strategies and show that you’re able to deliver business results that far exceed the norm,” said Gary Leopold, President and CEO, ISM, Agency winner “Best in Show” 2008 for Emirates.

Winning entries will be honored at the Adrian Awards Gala, a black-tie event taking place Feb. 1, 2010, at the New York Marriott Marquis. Winning entries also will be showcased in the online winner’s gallery.

For more information on the Adrian Awards competition please contact Desiree LaFont at (703) 506-3297, email [email protected], visit , or follow Adrian Awards news on Twitter at twitter.com/AdrianAwards.

About HSMAI

The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) is committed to growing business for hotels and their partners and is the industry's leading advocate for intelligent, sustainable hotel revenue growth. The association provides hotel professionals and their partners with tools, insights, and expertise to fuel sales, inspire marketing, and optimize revenue through programs such as the Commercial Strategy Conference, Sales Leader Forum, and Adrian Awards. Founded in 1927, HSMAI is a membership organization comprising more than 5,000 members worldwide, with 40 chapters in the Americas Region. Connect with HSMAI at hsmai.org.

Rachel Rosenberg
+1 404-832-7711
HSMAI