MCLEAN, VA (Sept. 22, 2010) � More than 2,000 meeting, event and hospitality
industry professionals made HSMAI�s Affordable Meetings® National Exhibition
and Conference at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington
D.C. the center of the meeting industry world from Sept. 8-9.
�With a strong turnout, attendees at Affordable Meetings National seemed
especially impressed with the variety of exhibitors and educational seminars
at this year�s expo,� said Fran Brasseux, executive vice president of HSMAI.
�It is our goal to always attract the best planners, exhibitors and speakers.
Once again, we are proud to say mission accomplished!�
More than 300 appointments were booked prior to Affordable Meetings
National through HSMAI�s One-to-One Meeting Concierge, who worked individually
with planners prior to the show to schedule appointments with exhibitors
they were most interested in meeting with. Planners who made appointments
through the concierge found great value.
Through her pre-scheduled meetings with exhibitors, Barbara Walker,
meeting coordinator, American Association of Poison Control Centers, said
she �received valuable information that you just do not get in emails,
literature, etc. HSMAI�s Meeting Concierge had a great deal to do with
my successful day at Affordable Meetings.�
Exhibitors from across the country took note of the business opportunities
on the show floor at this year�s show. Regina Richardson from the Long
Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau noted, �Affordable Meetings
2010 has been awesome for Long Beach this year! Within the first hour we
received five RFPs and I think that beat out all of last year, so we are
really excited to be exhibiting this year.� And, Marian Bianchini, senior
director global sales, Wyndham Hotel Group, noted that �We received a good
amount of viable revenue opportunities during the show that far exceeded
previous years. Our visitors to the booth were less than previous
years, but the value of good leads and good customer (or potential customers)
attendance far outweighs the usual �quantity game.�
Beyond fostering these important relationships, planners were able to
attend 28 seminars led by industry experts. Additionally for the first
time, Affordable Meetings® hosted special workshops and sessions. These
included the Meeting Planner Boot Camp, Strategic Meeting Management Workshop
and the SPIN Think Tank.
Each year the general sessions featuring keynote speakers generate buzz
amongst attendees. This year brought the likes of Michael Tchong, trend
analyst, Ubercool LLC, as well as Christine Duffy, president and CEO, Maritz
Travel. Tchong energized the crowd with a fast-paced presentation titled
�Reinventing Your Meeting Business,� which explored the latest market trends,
while highlighting innovations from the lifestyle and technology sector
that are affecting the events industry. Duffy, with her �Future of Meetings�
presentation, provided expert commentary that spoke towards the meeting
and events industry as it moves on from the recent global recession. Duffy
stressed to the audience that, �Going forward we must work hard to prove
the ROI of meetings.�
HSMAI also honored exhibitors with Affordable Meetings Booth Awards:
-
Best Booth Overall (for the outstanding creation of an effective,
attractive environment that communicates the brand�s message)
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Multiple Booths: InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG)
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Single Booth: The Jefferson, Washington DC
-
Best On-site Booth Promotion/Marketing (for original and effective
promotional and marketing materials)
-
Multiple Booths: Carlson Hotels Worldwide
-
Single Booth: Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau
Plans are well under way for the HSMAI�s Affordable Meetings 2011 events.
For information on exhibiting at next year�s shows, visit
www.affordablemeeting.com
or contact Craig Baker, account manager, J. Spargo & Associates, (703)
679-3942, e-mail:
[email protected].
About HSMAI�s Affordable Meetings® National
HSMAI�s Affordable Meetings National offered attendees the opportunity
to meet and do business with more than 300 exhibiting companies during
a unique exposition that showcased 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. Visit www.affordablemeetings.com
for more information. Join our social networking communities on Twitter,
LinkedIn and Facebook.
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.
Join our social networking communities on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.