The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) invites all qualified meeting and event professionals who are looking to gain insight and build strong business relationships to attend its show, HSMAI's MEET National, focusing on Meetings, Events, Education and Technology. Registration is complimentary for qualified planners thanks to the generous support of HSMAI's MEET exhibitors and sponsors.

Formerly known as Affordable Meetings^® National, HSMAI's MEET is taking place Sept. 7-8 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., and provides registrants with a number of new and enhanced unique benefits, based on current event trends and planner advisory board feedback, including:

• Educational experiences through HSMAI's MEET University, an updated, interactive educational program led by top industry experts
• A new way to meet with HSMAI's TEEM Up, HSMAI's reverse tradeshow buyer appointment expo which adds to the opportunities to learn about new meeting facilities and suppliers during the traditional HSMAI's MEET expo
• The opportunity to maximize time through the HSMAI's MEET Attendee Concierge, introduced last year, who will pre-schedule one-to-one appointments for the planning professional with supplier partners during the traditional trade show hours
• Year-long access to HSMAI's MEET On, a virtual extension of the two-day conference with networking and educational content

"HSMAI continues to provide its attendees with cutting-edge educational offerings and indelible networking opportunities," said Fran Brasseux, HSMAI executive vice president. "At this year's show, we're moving away from the traditional classroom setting to provide a more interactive and hands-on experience with some of our new educational formats."

HSMAI's MEET University sessions include:

General Session: Eat, Drink and Succeed! presented by Laura Schwartz, who is a speaker, author of Eat, Drink & Succeed, an international television commentator and founder of White House Strategies.

HSMAI's MEET On Simulcast Virtual Sessions:

• Negotiating Strategies
• Do More with Less: The Rise of Free or Very Low Cost Web Tools for Meeting Professionals
• "Event" Content is King…If Captured, Organized & Shared
• Beyond Attrition: Contract Clauses You Should Understand
• 30 Minutes to Taming Your E-mail Beast
• Seven Habits of Highly Effective Websites

Peer-to-Peer Roundtables:

• Incorporating Interaction into Education
• What's New in F&B: An Idea Sharing Session

Case Study Sessions:

• Doing More with Less: How to Keep Your Meeting Budget on Track
• Contracts and Legal Issues
• Be a World Class Negotiator

Speed Learning Sessions:

• Taming the Outlook E-mail Beast
• F&B Cost Cutting
• Greening Your Meeting
• Online Social Communities for Events - How to Make Yours Thrive

Additional Sessions:

• Meetings Beyond Logistics: Principles, Practices & Play
• Strategic Meetings Management: The Ultimate Roadmap
• Can "Creative" and "On a Budget" Co-Exist?

o Mobile Applications for Meetings and Tradeshows: 10 Ways Smart Phones are Revolutionizing Events

• Solutions for Doing More With Less...A Brainstorming Session
• Be a World Class Negotiator

"I'm looking forward to taking part in the new aspects of HSMAI's MEET National and learning how to make our own meetings more interactive, maximizing social media and mobile applications as well as how to incorporate a virtual component," said Elisa Perodin, CMP, CEM, vice president, events, The Coulter Companies, and a member of HSMAI's MEET planner advisory board.

Applications for HSMAI's TEEM Up, the reverse tradeshow, are now being taken, reversing the traditional roles as suppliers have the opportunity to visit planners. HSMAI has joined with several organizations to bring in top-level planners who will take part in this fresh way to connect buyers and suppliers through scheduled appointments. The application process to participate in HSMAI's TEEM Up is open to all qualified planners and is subject to approval.

In addition, HSMAI's MEET University Boot Camp: Meeting & Event Back to Basics, will be taking place Sept. 6-7. The separate registration includes exposition, lunch and sessions led by Vicky A. Betzig, CMP.

Additional components of HSMAI's MEET National will be announced shortly, including details on how planners and exhibitor personnel will be able to support a new charitable program to be launched at HSMAI's MEET National. HSMAI's MEET is pleased to be working with Soles4Souls, Changing the World, One Pair at a Time®. Established from a desire to help after the 2004 Tsunami in southeast Asia and then Hurricane Katrina just a few months later, Soles4Souls is an international shoe charity that procures and distributes shoes to those in need.

Booth space is available. Interested exhibitors should contact Craig Baker, account manager, exhibition sales, J. Spargo & Associates, (703) 679-3942, or visit http://www.hsmaimeet.com/ for more information about HSMAI's MEET.

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