Among those attending will be CEOs, COOs, senior vice presidents, directors and general managers who will find a timely and comprehensive agenda of the hottest topics, issues and trends for sales and marketing professionals. Companies and properties attending include: Starwood Resorts Caribbean, Puerto Rico Convention Bureau, The Ritz-Carlton, USVI Hotel & Tourism Association, Rosewood Caribbean Resorts, Island Outpost, Barcelo Hotels & Resorts, San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino, Coral by Hilton, and many others.

Presented by the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) and the Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA), the conference will feature seasoned executives and experts who will speak on a range of pertinent topics, such as e-commerce marketing, search engine optimization and distribution, affiliate marketing, revenue management, and sales strategy development. 

Given the pertinent content of the sessions and workshops, the conference is valuable to any sales and marketing professional, be it in or out of the Caribbean region.

�As stakeholders in the hotel and tourism industry, we know what it takes to compete in today�s environment.  This inaugural event is the vehicle to stay on top of the latest global trends and industry intelligence, and to tap the effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity of our sales and marketing strategies,� said Alec Sanguinetti, director general and CEO of CHA. 

�The content we�ve developed is important and invaluable information for all sales and marketing professionals from any region worldwide who want to be competitive and proactive in their efforts,� said Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHA, president and CEO of HSMAI. 

 The conference line-up is as follows:

Thursday, Dec. 1, 2005

Noon-12:15pm:            Conference Opening/Welcome from Alec Sanguinetti, director general and CEO of CHA, and Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHA, president & CEO, HSMAI

            12:15-12:45pm:            Lunch

12:45-1:15pm:              Opening keynote on Demystifying Distribution from Cindy Estis Green, managing partner, The Estis Group, and author of    �Demystifying Distribution�

            1:15- 2:15pm:               Opening session panel on Marketing Through the Web: Demystifying Distribution, moderated by Cindy Estis Green. Panelists: Sue Heilbronner, executive vice president of marketing, TIG Global; Drew Patterson, director of business development, Kayak Software Corporation; Pablo Alcala, account manager, Amadeus Hospitality; and Laura Veglia, regional director, Expedia, Inc. and Hotels.com

            2:30-3:30pm:                Breakout Sessions:

Session 1: Integrated Marketing Communications:  Improving Customer Acquisition and Retention. Moderated by John Fareed, CHME, partner, Fareed and Zapala Marketing Partners, with Gary Leopold, CHME, president, ISM Strategic Marketing; Sal Dickinson, CHME, chief executive, Dickinson & Associates; and Shirley Decker, senior vice president, i.d.e.a.s.

Session 2: Internet Marketing: Developing and Managing Your Web Site. Moderated by Loren Gray, director of e-Commerce, Ocean Properties, Ltd. Panelists: Jon Schepke, senior vice president, customer development, iCrossing, and John Dunn, vice president of international marketing, Atlific Hotels & Resorts

Session 3: Reservations Sales: How to Make Sure Your On-Site (or 3rd Party) Reservations Agents Provide the Customized Sales Experience That Today�s Callers Demand. Presented by Doug Kennedy, president, The Douglas Kennedy Company
 

            3:30-3:45pm:                Break in Supplier Showcase

            3:45-4:45pm:                Breakout Sessions 1, 2 and 3 repeated

            4:45-6:00pm:                Networking Reception in Supplier Showcase

Friday, Dec. 2, 2005

            8:30-10:00am: Buffet breakfast and two roundtable discussions:

Table 1: Success Stories in the Golf Market

Table 2: Success Stories in Reaching the Eco-Adventure Traveler

Table 3: Success Stories in the Gay & Lesbian/Alternative Life Styles Market

Table 4: Success Stories in Selling to the European Market

Table 5: Success Stories in Selling to Minorities, African Americans, Hispanics

Table 6: Success Stories in the Group Incentive Market

Table 7: Success Stories in Spa Marketing

Table 8: Success Stories in the Meetings and Conventions Market

Table 9: Success Stories in the Luxury Market

Table 10: Success Stories in the Wedding Market

Table 11: Success Stories in Selling to the Family Market

            10:00-10:15am:            Break in Supplier Showcase

            10:15-11:15am             Breakout Sessions:

Session 4: Revenue Management Strategies for the Caribbean.  Moderated by Douglas Kennedy, president, The Douglas Kennedy Company. Panelists: Brian Young, vice president, operations, Rosewood Hotels and Resorts; Angel M. Vazquez, director of revenue management and e-Commerce, Tecton Hospitality; Abelardo (Piro) Hernandez, regional director, Americas South Region; Preferred Hotel Group; Jesse Ostrum, vice president of sales & marketing, SuperClubs

Session 5: Effective Public Relations Strategies: With or Without an Agency, with Karen Weiner-Escalera, president, KWE Public Relations, and Richard S. Kahn, president, Kahn Travel Communications

Session 6: Internet Marketing: Web Optimization and Understanding Search. Moderated by Loren Gray, director of e-Commerce, Ocean Properties, Ltd.

11:30am-1:30pm:         Lunch and keynote address on Today�s Caribbean Wholesaler - Evolving Models to Drive Business moderated by Emanuel Schreibmaier, senior vice-president sales, The Americas, Sol Melia Hotels & Resorts; and panelists Michael LaPointe, vice president, product development, Apple Vacations; Bob Lawrence, regional vice president, Caribbean marketing, Liberty GoGo; and Laura Veglia, regional director, Expedia, Inc. and Hotels.com

1:45-2:45pm:                Breakout Sessions 4, 5 and 6 repeated

2:45-3:00pm:                Break in Supplier Showcase

3:00-4:00pm:                Closing General Session keynote address: Envisioning the Customer of the Future presented by Dr. Lalia Rach, associate dean, Preston Robert Tisch Center Hospitality, Tourism and Sports Management, New York University and HVS International Chair

4:00-4:30pm:                Wrap up: Adding Profits to Your Bottom Line Through Existing Caribbean Marketing Channels from Tim Grace, director of marketing, CHA, and Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHA, president and CEO, HSMAI                                         

There will be a Special Pre-conference Workshop on Strategic Business Planning for Hotels & Resorts, presented by John Fareed, partner, Fareed and Zapala Marketing Partners.  This special workshop, offered to all conference delegates, will take place at 9:00 am on Thursday, Dec. 1 and will encompass all aspects that need to go into a Business Plan for hotels and resorts of all sizes.

Registration for this two-day event is $395 for members of either HSMAI or CHA and $495 for non-members.  The non-member rate includes six months of membership in HSMAI. 

International Lifestyles, Inc. and Meredith Travel Marketing are sponsors of the event. Other sponsorships for the conference are available. For information, please visit www.hsmai.org or contact Melanie Penoyar, director of development, HSMAI at (703) 245-8037.

CHA
The Caribbean Hotel Association is dedicated to optimizing the full potential of the Caribbean hotel and tourism industry by serving member needs and building partnerships.  The members of CHA represent the entire spectrum of hospitality industry's private sector, from over 800 member hotels with more than 126,000 hotel rooms in 35 national hotel associations, to allied members including airline executives, tour operators, travel agents, trade and consumer press, hotel and restaurant suppliers, and others.  www.caribbeanhotels.org.

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 15 annual events, including HSMAI�s Affordable Meetings, HSMAI�s Meeting Quest shows and the HSMAI World Quest events.  Founded in 1927, HSMAI is an individual membership organization comprising nearly 7,000 members worldwide, with 38 chapters in the Americas region.

For more information on HSMAI, contact the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International, 8201 Greensboro Drive, Suite 300, McLean, VA 22102, phone (703) 610-9024; fax (703) 610-9005, www.hsmai.org. 

Victor Lebron
CHA Conference and Event Department
787-725-9139
[email protected]