HSMAI Information
Association History
Robert A. Gilbert President & CEO, HSMAI
HSMAI Fact Sheet
ASSOCIATION HISTORY
The place was Chicago's Belmont Hotel...the year: 1927...when the first International Conference on Hotel Business Promotion was held and the organization that is today known as the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International was born with a goal of polishing business and selling skills.
The fledgling organization fought for survival throughout the depression on dues of just $25 and the devotion of members who were determined to prove the value and benefits of an association which would improve the skills and talents of the men and women who belongedand some day, the professionalism of the industry overall. Over the years, the association evolved, from the original "Hotel Business Promotion Conference" to "Hotel Sales Managers Association," "Hotel Sales Management Association," "Hotel Sales and Marketing Association International," and finally "Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International."
Today, HSMAI is the largest and most active travel industry sales and marketing membership organization in the world, with over 7,000 members from 30 countries in 60 chapters worldwide representing hotels and resorts, airlines, cruise lines, car rental agencies, theme parks and attractions, convention and visitors bureaus, destination management companies, reservations sales organizations, restaurants, golf and recreation sites, and much more. Membership is open to anyone involved in one of the sales, marketing, management, educational, planning, or reporting disciplines within the hospitality industry including those involved in promoting, producing, or delivering support services to the travel, tourism, hospitality, convention, and meeting industries.
ROBERT A. GILBERT
PRESIDENT & CEO, HSMAI
As President and Chief Executive Officer of the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International, Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHA, has been guiding HSMAI through an exciting period of change in order to re-establish the 7,000-plus member organization as the definitive hospitality and travel marketing association in the world.
During Gilbert's tenure, HSMAI has achieved tremendous success with a number of initiatives. More specifically, the Association has revitalized European membership and established new chapters worldwide; it continually seeks out beneficial affinity programs for members; and it has negotiated a number of alliances that build member benefit value.
Furthermore, it has re-affirmed its commitment to industry-specific education through the creation of segment-specific programs, such as a series of sales and marketing seminars for general managers, and the launch of an innovative Executive T.H.I.N.K. series for top-level executives.
Notable achievements under Gilbert's leadership include the growth of marketplace events through the expansion of HSMAI's Affordable Meetings® with Affordable Meetings® West and Affordable Meetings® Mid-America (added to the existing Affordable Meetings® National).
Also of great significance is the recent launch of the HSMAI Foundation's new Corporate Membership program, dedicated to conducting sales and marketing specific research studies for the hospitality, travel and tourism industry.
Prior to joining HSMAI in 1995 (in an executive capacity), Gilbert was the vice president of marketing for Richfield Hospitality Services, Inc., the largest hotel management company in the world, where he oversaw the corporate marketing support for all Richfield hotels, which included product from every price tier in the industry.
Gilbert holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, and has been a member of HSMAI since joining the student chapter at Cornell. He is a frequent guest lecturer at the School and is on the adjunct faculty of the summer executive education program.
Gilbert serves on the Board of Directors of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) and the Convention Industry Council (CIC), and is also on the Board of Trustees for the World Tourism Foundation as well as the Travel and Tourism Coalition of the Travel Industry Association of America. He is a member of the HITEC Advisory Board for Hospitality Finance and Technology Professionals.
HSMAI FACT SHEET - The Americas
Organization Description:
The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) is an international 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 during annual events, including HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings®.
Membership & Chapters:
Founded in 1927, HSMAI is an individual membership organization comprising more than 7,000 members worldwide with 39 chapters in the Americas region, representing hotels and resorts, airlines, cruise lines, car rental agencies, theme parks and attractions, convention and visitors bureaus, destination management companies, reservations sales organizations, restaurants, golf and recreation sites, supplier partners and more. HSMAI’s Europe region, with national chapters, is headquartered in Oslo, Norway. In October 2005, HSMAI launched an Asia Pacific chapter.
Headquarters:
1760 Old Meadow Rd., Suite 500
McLean, VA 22102
Telephone: (703) 506-3280; Fax: (703) 506-3266
Web site: www.hsmai.org
Annual Membership Fees:
$325 per person for regular members ($285 with automatic renewal); $60 for students and faculty; for two – 10 members from the same location, the cost is $190 per additional member. Corporate membership packages are also available.
Professional Certification:
CHME (Certified Hospitality Marketing Executive)
Each year, HSMAI tests and certifies individuals for its CHME (Certified Hospitality Marketing Executive) distinction, which is the ultimate symbol of hospitality sales professionalism and leadership. It is granted only to those individuals who meet the most stringent requirements of education and experience.
CHSC (Certified in Hospitality Sales Competencies)
Those engaged in hospitality sales and marketing can achieve a CHSC (Certified in Hospitality Sales Competencies) certification, recognizing that one has demonstrated a high level of performance and knowledge; a commitment to impeccable standards and ethics; an understanding of what it takes to compete and succeed in the hospitality industry and a strong leadership ability and management skills.
CRME (Certified Revenue Management Executive)
For those engaged in revenue management, HSMAI offers CRME, Certified Revenue Management Executive. A CRME recognition demonstrates that one is a professional in the field of revenue management and clearly conversant with its intricacies and importance; competent to develop an infrastructure to support revenue management within the framework of an organization; able to maximize revenue opportunities and optimize profits by managing revenue; capable of making informed decisions to accept or reject pieces of business to meet overall organizational goals; and proficient at the art and science of revenue management.
For more details on qualifications and the application process, visit http://www.hsmai.org/resources/certification.cfm.
Educational Programs:
* HSMAI University. Launched in 1996, HSMAI University is the organization’s most comprehensive and ambitious initiative in the realm of education for sales and marketers of hospitality and travel to date, entailing a wide-ranging schedule of course offerings and learning experiences in public venue, private label and online formats. Programs are aligned with Special Interest Groups to offer specialized content to support business needs in revenue management, Internet marketing, hotel director of sales & marketing and resort marketing. Every aspect of the content and support material included in the HSMAI University program has been specifically designed and developed for those involved in hospitality sales and marketing, including an inventory of subject matter appropriate to individuals with responsibilities ranging from entry-level to advanced. HSMAI offers workshops and seminars in various cities as well as webinars incorporating 60-minute presentations conducted “live” via the web and audio conference linkage. More information can be obtained at www.hsmaiuniversity.org.
* HSMAI Strategy Conferences. A series of forums that facilitates dialogue, ideas and solutions on a range of issues. Strategy Conferences produced annually address the following relevant subject matters: Travel Internet Marketing (two conferences per year), Resort Management, Revenue Management, Caribbean Sales & Marketing, and Hotel Directors of Sales & Marketing. The most recent breakthrough is the introduction of the HSMAI brand in Asia with AsiaConnect, an Industry Strategy Conference in Singapore, which has spearheaded HSMAI membership and chapter development in the region. In 2006, three strategy conferences were held in the Asia Pacific Region.
* eConnect. A one-stop portal to global information and resources on hospitality sales and marketing topics. eConnect is a service provided by the HSMAI Foundation through its Corporate Membership program to create a repository for information on and research into today’s most important industry issues. Many of eConnect’s resources, which are organized by six key subject areas, are available exclusively to HSMAI members.
* Chapter Educational Programming. Individual chapters conduct on-going educational, networking and business development programs for members and non-members.
Marketplace Events:
* HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings®
The two-day marketplace provides education for meeting planners as well as a trade show.
- HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® Mid-America. Held in Chicago, IL and attended by more than 1,000 meeting planners and 300 trade show exhibitors.
- HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® West. Held in San Jose, CA and Long Beach, CA (show alternates location each year) and attended by more than 1,000 meeting planners and 300 trade show exhibitors.
- HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings® National. Held in Washington, DC, and attended by more than 2,000 meeting planners and 750 trade show exhibitors.
HSMAI Foundation:
The HSMAI Foundation is the research arm of the association, working to expand and enhance the research and publishing activities to further the education of those in the profession.
* HSMAI Foundation Research Partner Program. Launched in 2001 with the support of top companies reflecting a cross-section of the industry’s prominent players, its primary focus is to conduct research and create benchmark studies specifically for the sales and marketing discipline. The program also funds the eConnect research and resource online clearinghouse.
* Publications. The Foundation sells publications and products it produces, as well as other hospitality industry research, training tools and reference books.
* Scholarships. The Foundation administers a scholarship program for students enrolled in hospitality and travel management colleges and universities around the world.
Special Interest Groups (SIGs):
* In keeping with its overall objective to create relevance for its members and to be a vital information source for the industry at-large, HSMAI has developed SIGs in five industry segments: Internet Marketing, Revenue Management, Resort Marketing, Hotel Director of Sales & Marketing, and Sales and Marketing Faculty.
* Each HSMAI SIG is led by an Advisory Board comprised of industry leaders who are responsible for initiating projects and programming to serve the specific needs of these unique constituencies. Among the SIGs initiatives are to stage Strategy Conferences with expert speakers and panel discussions that are attended by industry professionals to discuss their specific industry’s most critical issues.
* HSMAI will continue to create special interest groups and to build services, information and networking opportunities for HSMAI members and the industry at large as interest and opportunity merits.
Strategic Alliances & Partnerships:
* HSMAI enjoys a strong alliance with other industry associations such as the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA), the Educational Institute of AH&LA, the Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI), the International Hotel & Restaurant Association (IHRA), the Travel Industry Association of America (TIA), the Hotel Electronic Distribution Network Association (HEDNA), the Hospitality Finance and Technology Professionals (HFTP) on behalf of programming for the Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition & Conference (HITEC), CHRIE and other associations where HSMAI can mutually endorse programs and services that can be a benefit to the members of both organizations.
* HSMAI also has created a Partnership Program where companies can market their services to members and attendees at programs and events.
HSMAI Publications/Communications:
* HSMAI Marketing Review magazine. The only magazine in the world specifically targeted to the hospitality sales and marketing audience. Published quarterly, it reflects some of the best thinking on cutting-edge sales and marketing issues and case studies in the industry. Copies are distributed to members and are available by individual subscription.
* UPDATE newsletters. A series of newsletters created as a means of outreach, information and education tailored to a variety of market segments, including chapter leadership, special interest groups, partnerships, members at large, etc.
* Web site. An interactive Web site at www.hsmai.org is designed to introduce non-members to HSMAI membership benefits, programs and information as well as provide members with a timely resource on association events and programs. It also includes a members-only feature with an online search engine of worldwide membership and a career center.
Recognition & Awards Programs:
* Adrian Advertising, Public Relations and Web Marketing Competitions.
An annual competition recognizing the best in hospitality and travel advertising, public relations and Web marketing.
* Awards Night Gala. Winners of the annual competition are honored at this gala dinner.
* Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Sales & Marketing – Being named one of the “Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Sales & Marketing” is an honor given to leaders in the hospitality, travel, and tourism industries for their measured accomplishments during a given year. This “who’s who hot list” gives distinction to outstanding performers that command “A-List” recognition.
* Chapter Awards. Annual awards presented at the HSMAI Chapter Leadership Conference for outstanding achievements by a chapter.
* International Hall of Fame. Recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to furthering the sales and marketing profession in the hospitality and travel industry.
* Albert E. Koehl Award. Recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the hospitality and travel advertising profession.
* Winthrop W. Grice Award. Recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the hospitality and travel public relations profession.
* Al Bard Award. Recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the development and growth of the HSMAI Adrian Awards competition.
Other HSMAI Member Benefits:
* Member-to-Member Discount Program.
* Preferred supplier discounts are available with HSMAI’s affinity partners:
1-800-flowers.com, DHL, The Map Network, MagnetMail powered by Real Magnet, TelSpan Worldwide Conferencing, Wells Fargo, ConventionPlanit.com, Getty Images, D.K. Shifflet & Associates, Ltd., Smith Travel Research and Usability Sciences Corporation.
Americas Region Management & Staff:
Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHA, President & CEO
Fran Brasseux, Executive Vice President
Ilsa Whittemore, Associate Executive Director
Jason Smith, Vice President of Communications
Margie Sheffer, CHME, CHA, Director of Chapter Relations
Mandie Jorgensen, Manager of Member Services
Desiree LaFont, Project Coordinator
Kathleen Tindell, Coordinator, HSMAI University and Associate Editor, Marketing Review
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Updated June 2007
