HSMAI'S Affordable Meetings West Program Features Meeting And Event ROI, Web Strategies, Contracts Sessions
Long Beach Show Offers More Learning and Business Building Opportunities for Meeting Planners and Exhibitors
The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) presents Affordable Meetings® West on June 15-16, welcoming attendees to the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, Calif. Show attendees will have the opportunity to meet with more than 150 exhibitors, learn from 17 different educational sessions and hear from industry leaders, experts and educators sharing their insights and expertise.
"As with each of our shows, this year's Affordable Meetings® West promises to provide meaningful opportunities for meeting planners and exhibitors to meet face-to-face and exchange valuable industry insights and build business relationships on the exhibit show floor and in the educational sessions," said Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHA, president and CEO of HSMAI. Affordable Meetings® is a key component of HSMAI's mission to provide hotel professionals & their partners with tools, insights, and expertise to fuel sales, inspire marketing, and optimize revenue.
More than 800 attendees representing meeting and event planners from a variety of organizations, including those from corporate, association and independent sectors are expected to visit HSMAI's Affordable Meetings® West 2011 show. Attendees can earn up to nine continuing education contact hours toward Certified Meeting Professional qualifications or recertification, and take part in the One-to-One Meeting Concierge Program to pre-arrange appointments with exhibitors.
Commenting on the success of the One-to-One program at last year's West show, Joan Palmtag, regional director of accounts for the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau, said, "We were able to see 50 people each day, which equals three weeks worth of sales calls. Affordable Meetings® West makes it very efficient for us to develop relationships with key meeting planners."
Throughout the show, concurrent educational session tracks, including Intermediate, Advanced and Technology
, will be offered, and these cutting-edge sessions are presented by educators who understand the rewards and challenges of the meetings and events industry.
Highlighted sessions at Affordable Meetings® West include:
· Intermediate Track:
- The "A-Team" of Food and Beverage: Tips, Trends and Tomorrow: This session will show participants ways to strategically plan menus with venue staff and select appealing menus that are both within budget and reflect the latest trends.
- Contracts Boot Camp: After attending this session, participants will better understand legal explanations behind typical contract clauses as well as identify and revise problem clauses to avoid disputes.
· Advanced Track:
- Measuring Return on Investment for Meetings and Events: Participants will learn how to better identify meetings and events that may be suitable for ROI measurement and learn how to implement ROI methodology.
- The Mark of a Leader – Getting a Strategic Meeting Management Program (SMMP): This session will teach participants how to create a business proposal that ascertains new policies and compliance, procurement opportunities, risk mitigation and contingency planning.
· Technology Track:
- Real Strategies – Real Results: Web Strategies That WORK: This session will take case studies of businesses that have used web strategies to improve their bottom lines and will help attendees learn how to translate social media into web success.
- Behind the Scenes – 7 Ways Technology Can Boost Your Event's Success: In this session, attendees will gain tips on keeping an audience engaged during an event as well as hear how digital marketing can boost event attendance.
Booth space is still available at the West show and can be obtained by contacting Craig Baker, account manager, J. Spargo & Associates, (703) 631-6200 or [email protected].
About HSMAI's Affordable Meetings® West | HSMAI's Affordable Meetings West will once again offer attendees the opportunity to meet and do business with more than 150 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. Planners attending Affordable Meetings account for almost 40,000 meetings annually, representing groups from 10 to 10,000. 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.
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.
Lindsay Stout
Edelman
214-443-7586
HSMAI
