MCLEAN, VA | In its 20th year, HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® National will once again provide an opportunity for meeting and event planners from all sectors of the industry, and every corner of the nation, to connect with venues, vendors and other meetings service providers to do serious business for the upcoming year. Exhibitors at Affordable Meetings® Mid-America and West this year generated an average of 116 leads each, demonstrating a strong exhibiting ROI. Affordable Meetings® National will celebrate its 20th anniversary show Sept. 9-10, 2009 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. and in honor of this special occasion, HSMAI has prepared a list of 20 reasons for exhibiting at Affordable Meetings® National.

  1. DECISION MAKERS: 96% of attendees are decision makers or significant influencers.
  2. FRESH FACES: 59% of attendees do not attend any other tradeshow!
  3. SALES LEADS: More than 1800 meeting and event planners come looking for the magnificent, the moderate and everything in between.
  4. CORPORATE, GOVERNMENT & NON-PROFIT ACCESS: 71% of attendees are from corporate, government, association, or non-profit organizations.
  5. THREE-TO-ONE: For every booth on the show floor, there will be at least three (3) meeting planner attendees. That 3:1 planner/exhibitor ratio is hard to find anywhere else!
  6. PRE-SHOW MATCHMAKING: Included in your booth package is access to “networkNow®!,” an electronic matchmaking service that connects Affordable Meetings® attendees and exhibitors in order to set appointments in advance, have pre- and post-show discussions, and take advantage of other client-access opportunities that exist before the show starts and long after the show ends.
  7. ATTENDEE LISTS: Exhibitors receive a free electronic post-show attendee list, including profiles, demographics, and contact information. HSMAI members also receive the pre-registered attendee list which includes those who registered but did not attend (this means approximately 35-40% more leads). And, pre-show attendee lists are available for a bargain price.
  8. COST-EFFECTIVE MARKETING: Exhibiting in a trade show is still the most efficient and cost-effective way to collect qualified leads, close deals and build long term business relationships.
  9. BOOTH PACKAGE & EXHIBITOR SUPPORT: The comprehensive booth package helps minimize your costs since you don’t have to buy carpet or basic furniture. Listings in the official program book and online directory are included as well! HSMAI is committed to helping you achieve your goals, offering pre-show and on-site assistance so you see ROI on your marketing dollars.
  10. THREE FOR ONE: For every 10x10 space, you receive three (3) exhibitor badges.
  11. DISCOUNT FOR MEMBERS: HSMAI members receive a $600 discount on booth purchases.
  12. INVALUABLE INSIGHTS: See and learn what your customers are talking about and dealing with. Exhibitors can attend any of the 42 invaluable educational seminars!
  13. HEIGHTENED VISIBILITY: Tightening your budget and waiting it out isn’t enough. You must stay visible in the marketplace, and keep the lines of communication open with clients and prospects.
  14. HAPPY ATTENDEES: 87% of attendees would recommend Affordable Meetings® to others.
  15. HAPPY EXHIBITORS: More than 80% of 2008 exhibitors plan on participating at HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® National again this year.
  16. EVENT TECHNOLOGY EXPO: This new, cutting-edge component of Affordable Meetings® focuses on all aspects of technology for tradeshows, meetings, conventions, and special events.
  17. UNPARALLELED PROMOTION: HSMAI conducts unparalleled attendee promotion in size, scope and frequency with a full scale PR campaign across all relevant event industry sectors.
  18. OTHERS ARE SAYING IT:
    • “Great traffic and top quality buyers…last year was our first year exhibiting at ETE/Affordable Meetings and it generated more leads than any of the other top meetings industry shows did for us in Washington DC last year.” – Michael J. Hatch, Senior Vice President, Marketing & Sales, a2z, Inc.
    • "We were very pleased that we took the decision to participate at Event Technology Expo - it was a good group of exhibitors to be amongst and the right visitor audience for us. We took RFP's right there at the booth and had other hot leads to follow up straight after. Event Technology Expo is already on our marketing plan for 2009!" – Arran Coole, CEO, ASP Inc
    • “The Affordable Meetings National Show has always been a great way for us to connect with buyers from the Washington DC Metro area. In 2008, we met with many new planners that will utilize our hotels around the globe.” – Anne Roth, CMP, Key Account Director, Groups & Incentives, InterContinental Hotels Group
  19. OPPORTUNITIES IN THIS ECONOMY: Hundreds of destination decisions are being re-evaluated, and in some cases, meetings are being re-engineered altogether. Showcase your solution in these turbulent, yet improving times.
  20. THE CREAM OF THE CROP: In today’s economy, more and more seasoned meeting planners are faced with challenges never before seen in their careers. They are turning to HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® for the solutions they need and are hoping to find!

Visit for more information. To reserve your booth today, contact Craig Baker, Affordable Meetings'® Exposition Sales Manager, at (703) 679-3942 or [email protected].

Attendance at HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® National and ETE is free-of-charge for qualified meeting planners. Attendee information is available by calling 800-564-4220 or visiting .

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 J. Spargo & Associates, Inc. Visit www.affordablemeetings.com for more information. Join our social networking communities on Twitter, and LinkedIn.

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
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HSMAI

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