Google, Yahoo! and MSN to Discuss Search Engines at HSMAI's 8th Travel Internet Marketing Strategy Conference in Las Vegas on April 4, 2007 / April 2007

Hotel Online Special Report

Google, Yahoo! and MSN to Discuss Search Engines at HSMAI's
8th Travel Internet Marketing Strategy Conference in
Las Vegas on April 4, 2007

MCLEAN, VA (March 30, 2007) � Executives from Google, Yahoo!, Microsoft and PhoCusWright will be featured speakers at the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International�s (HSMAI) 8th Travel Internet Marketing Strategy Conference, to be held at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on April 4, 2007 from 11:30 am-5:30 pm.

Featuring a �state of the Internet marketing landscape,� the program will include industry experts and Internet marketing specialists presenting an aggregation of trends from multiple research reports as well as a panel on Travel Search, a session on a Consumer Behavior Study and a well-rounded roster of roundtable discussions.

Once again, HSMAI is partnering with the Travel Industry Association (TIA) as the conference will be presented in conjunction with TIA�s TravelCom.

�There is an exciting agenda on tap, with a strong line-up of presenters and panelists that will deliver timely and critical information vital for anyone in a position dedicated to Internet marketing, or for those who want to learn more about this evolving medium,� states Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHA, president & CEO of HSMAI.

The agenda is as follows:

11:30 am - 12:15 pm: Opening Remarks and Lunch Networking
12:15 � 1:15 pm: Keynote Address � Travel 2.0 Confronts the Establishment

Philip Wolf founder, president and CEO of PhoCusWright Inc., will deliver the opening address, which will be followed by a one-on-one interview by Dr. Daniel Connolly, Assistant Professor, with a joint appointment in the School of Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management and the Department of Information Technology and Electronic Commerce, in the Daniels College of Business, at the University of Denver.

Wolf notes: �Last year witnessed Travel 1.0�s swan song. Since then, the Travel 2.0 floodgates have opened. It�s a positive, advancing force holding great promise for travel, tourism and hospitality. Travel 2.0 � the travel industry�s collective application of Web 2.0 � embodies how companies can differentiate themselves in a vast, dynamic travel distribution marketplace. It challenges status-quo travel planning behavior. Travelers are now keen to take control and find/create the perfect trip, not just the cheapest trip. Immerse yourself in the intricacies influencing this important trend.�

1:15 � 2:30 pm: Travel Search Panel

During this session, panelists from Google, Yahoo! and MSN search engines will discuss with the audience the realities of search marketing and the implications on the hospitality industry. This free-flowing session will be moderated by Philip Wolf.

Panelists: Brad King, Senior Director, Travel Category, Yahoo!, Inc.; Carrie Davis Fabris, Senior Account Executive - Travel, Google, Inc.; and James Colburn, Group Marketing Manager, adCenter Communications Group Microsoft.

2:30 � 3:00 pm: Break/Partner Networking
3:00 � 3:30 pm: The Travel Consideration Process Study: What Consumers Do Before They Book presented by Brad King, Senior Director, Travel Category, Yahoo!, Inc.

Yahoo! Search Marketing took an in-depth look at what travelers do on the web before buying from an OTA or a supplier for its recently-completed Travel Consideration Process Study. This study found that prior to making a travel booking, travelers conduct extensive research online with half of the activity taking place 30 to 90 days before an actual booking. As travel marketers, this information is important and useful so we can understand and embrace these significant opportunities to influence and attract consumers early in the consideration process.

3:30 � 4:00 pm: Roundtable Discussions - (Round 1)
4:00 � 4:30 pm: Roundtable Discussions - (Round 2)

Topics for roundtable discussions include:
� Visitor Satisfaction
� Content Management � Consumer and Supplier
� Group Booking Online
� Affiliate Marketing
� Analytics - AB Testing and ROI Measurement
� Future of Mobile/Wireless Communication
� Organic SEO
� .travel

4:30 � 4:45 pm: Closing Comments

Release of the latest iPerceptions and HSMAI �Voice of the Customer� report on leisure travelers in mid-scale hotels. This unique quarterly web metrics report includes experience and satisfaction benchmarks for the growing online marketplace in the hospitality industry.

4:45 � 5:45 pm: Networking Reception

One of the most highly praised and best attended conferences on the annual calendar, past Travel Internet Marketing Strategy Conferences have delved deep into the topics of search marketing, blogs, legal issues, metrics, future trends and much more.

Conference partners are American Express, SECURE-RES, iPerceptions, LodgesandResort.com, The Map Network, Pin Point Media, Real Magnet, Travelscream.com and VRX Studios. For partnership information, contact Melanie Penoyar, HSMAI�s director of development at 703-245-8037 or [email protected].

Registration for the HSMAI Travel Internet Marketing Strategy Conference is available jointly with TIA�s TravelCom or separately. Packaged with TravelCom, the cost is $1,695 for HSMAI members; $1,495 for TIA members and $1,895 for non-members. To attend the HSMAI Conference only, the rate is $345 for HSMAI or TIA members and $490 for non-members. For more information or to register, visit www.hsmai.org .

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 annual events, including HSMAI�s Affordable Meetings®. Founded in 1927, HSMAI is an individual membership organization comprising more than 7,000 members worldwide, with 39 chapters in the Americas Region.

Contact:

Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International
8201 Greensboro Drive, Suite 300
McLean, VA 22102
phone (703) 610-9024
www.hsmai.org

.
.

Also See:

.
.

To search Hotel Online data base of News and Trends Go to Hotel.Online Search