MCLEAN, VA (April 1, 2009) � It's no secret that the resort community
has been hit particularly hard during the current economic downturn and
in the aftermath of the incentive travel backlash. Many of HSMAI's members
and operations professionals in this segment are finding it increasingly
difficult to leave their properties to attend educational seminars or meetings.
Because of this, the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International
(HSMAI) and the School of Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism Management at
the University of Denver have decided to adopt a virtual format for the
Ninth Annual Resort Conference this year. The 2009 Annual Resort Conference
was scheduled to take place May 3-5 at the PGA National Resort & Spa
in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
The virtual conference webinar series will be offered free to the first
100 resort professionals registered for each session thanks to the generous
support of a coalition of industry partners, including American Express,
Fareed Zapala Koepke, Cendyn, ClickSquared, Dana Communications, E-proDirect,
ICE Portal, Incite Response and PAR Springer-Miller Systems. Additional
registrants can attend the webinars for a nominal charge.
�At the request of resort executives who wanted to attend the meeting
but could not allocate the time this year, HSMAI and the University of
Denver have committed to making the content available to a much wider audience
through the virtual format,� said Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHA, president
and CEO of HSMAI. �Excellent content has already been developed for this
year's Resort Conference and is designed especially for executives dealing
with the current economic environment.�
The virtual conference webinar sessions include:
The Voice of the Customers. Do you know what your customers
are really thinking?
May 4, 2009
Moderator: Robert A. Gilbert, President and CEO, HSMAI
Panelists: Brenda Anderson, CEO, Site; Bill Connors, CTC, Executive
Director and COO, National Business Travel Association (NBTA); and Katie
Callahan-Giobbi, Executive Vice President of MPI Foundation and Chief Business
Architect. Attendees will take part in this spirited discussion with current
and potential clients representing group, incentive, and leisure markets.
The Case for Innovating Now
May 6, 2009
Speaker: Scott Anderson, President, Hospitality and Real Estate, Kohler
Company
Anderson will provide information, insight, and inspiration for companies
to �Innovate Now� and emerge faster, stronger and better than their competitor.
Emerging Lifestyles and Travel Trends: Implications for Resort Marketing
May 11, 2009
Speaker: Peter Yesawich, President and CEO, YPartnership
Attendees will hear highlights from the 2009 National Leisure Travel
Monitor, a national survey of the travel habits, preferences and intentions
of Americans that is now in its 17th year.
Contract Renegotiation in Turbulent Times
May 13, 2009
Panelists: Steve Kinsey, Kinsey and Associates; Steve Rudner, Rudner
and Associates
Kinsey and Rudney share strategies attendees can use to protect their
hotels as they revisit existing agreements and discuss options to field
cancellations and requests to renegotiate existing contracts.
Registration details and a complete program offering can be found
online at www.resortconference.com.
Special thanks to conference sponsors and, in particular, to the PGA
National Resort, which will be the host property for the 10th annual conference
in the spring of 2010.
About HSMAI
HSMAI is the hospitality industry source for knowledge, community,
and recognition for leaders committed to professional development, sales
growth, revenue optimization, marketing, and branding. 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 annual events, including HSMAI's Affordable Meetings®.
Founded in 1927, HSMAI is an individual membership organization comprising
more than 7,000 members worldwide, with 40 chapters in the Americas Region.
For more information on HSMAI, contact the Hospitality Sales & Marketing
Association International, 1760 Old Meadow Road, Suite 500, McLean, Va.
22102; (703) 506-3280; fax (703) 506-3266, or visit the website at www.hsmai.org.
About HRTM
Established in 1946, the School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management
(HRTM), part of the Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver,
prepares both graduate and undergraduate students for senior management
positions in the fast-changing and competitive hospitality industry.
As one of the most prominent hotel programs in the nation, the HRTM program
enjoys a superb reputation for innovative educational programs.
The student-oriented faculty members are internationally recognized for
their contributions to teaching, research and publications in various hospitality
fields. For more information on the HRTM program, visit www.daniels.du.edu/HRTM.aspx
or contact Barb Pemble at (303) 871-4473 or e-mail: [email protected]. |