Successful Meetings - September 2008 - (Page 21)

> Association News DMAI Partners with CVBHotRates.com The Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI) has announced a strategic alliance with CVBHotRates.com LLC as part of an ongoing effort to strengthen the destination marketing organization (DMO) and convention and visitors bureau (CVB) brand with meeting and event professionals. The alliance will leverage the combined assets of both the Meeting Information Network (MINT) and CVBHotRates.com to create a virtual national sales office for the CVB industry and a comprehensive, one-stop-shop for meeting and event planners. Donovan M. Shia has joined the DMAI team as vice president of market intelligence to spearhead this initiative. “It’s a tremendous honor to lead this initiative. We are poised to deliver outstanding value to meeting planners, DMO members, and stakeholders,” says Shia. “It’s an all around win and I’m very much looking forward to ramping up our awareness and product development efforts.” “This is a great opportunity for our industry to collaborate and capitalize on the strength of the DMO network,” says Richard A. Vaughan, senior vice president, sales and marketing at the Tucson Convention & Visitors Bureau and current chair of the DMAI Sales and Marketing News & Analysis Advisory Council. “Donovan brings many years of experience and expertise to this unique position.” A 10-year industry veteran and founder of CVBHotRates.com, Shia has a history of planning, executing, and delivering Internet sales and revenue for companies like Microsoft and Cendant. Shia brings to this new position his background in Internet business development, tightly focused on city/regional models, which served as the backbone of the CVBHotRates.com business model. Shia’s first objective at DMAI is to oversee the expansion and reconfiguration of the MINT, labeled empowerMINT. The improvements, which are already underway, will provide powerful online tools for subscribers and their clients, while offering improved navigation, convention reports, search logic (Query Builder), The trademark HYATT and related marks are trademarks of Hyatt Corporation. ©2008 Hyatt Corporation. All rights reserved. THE BLUEPRINT FOR INSPIRATION…THE NEW HYATT REGENCY BELLEVUE. $185 MILLION EXPANSION. 60,000 SQUARE FEET OF MEETING SPACE. 733 GUESTROOMS. Introducing the new standard for urban adventure in the Pacific Northwest. In Summer 2009, this stunning expansion will add a second tower housing state-of-the-art meeting space featuring an 18,000-square-foot ballroom and a 14,000-square-foot exhibition hall. Located minutes from Seattle, Hyatt Regency Bellevue resides within The Bellevue Collection – a vibrant fusion of premier shopping, dining and nightlife that offers the perfect balance of business and pleasure. Feel the Hyatt Touch®. For more information, contact your Hyatt Sales Representative, call 800 872 3600 or visit bellevue.hyatt.com. http://CVBHotRates.com http://CVBHotRates.com http://CVBHotRates.com http://CVBHotRates.com http://CVBHotRates.com http://bellevue.hyatt.com http://bellevue.hyatt.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Successful Meetings - September 2008

Successful Meetings - September 2008
Contents
Editor's Note
Industry Trends
Supplier News
Technology
Calendar
Incentives
Association News
Corporate Meetings
Independent Planners
Management Matters
Meetings Law
Mouth for Sale
Planner Spotlight
Pre-Event
On Site
On Site
Tools of the Trade
Where All That Glitters May Bring Gold
Stepping Up in Class
Going for the Green
10 Great Drive-To Destinations
Charter Members
Night at the Museum
Places & Spaces
Charleston and Savannah
Los Angeles
Phoenix/Scottsdale
Rocky Mountain Resorts
Caribbean
Monaco
Malaysia
Gurus

Successful Meetings - September 2008