NEW YORK—Christopher L. Thompson, President and CEO of Brand USA, will open the International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show (IHMRS) with a keynote address on Sunday, November 9 at 11:45 a.m., helping kick off the industry’s 99th annual event at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.
The keynote presentation, The Brand USA Effect: The Power of Partnerships, will provide an update on the work of Brand USA since its inception, as well as Thompson’s vision for helping to lead the United States to become the world’s premier travel destination—and how travel brands and destinations can fully leverage the efforts of the nation’s DMO.
Thompson speaks with authority on the process of building an effective cooperative destination marketing organization through the “Power of Partnerships” as evidenced by Brand USA’s growth. Under his leadership, Brand USA has nearly tripled its partnership network, more than doubled its funding, and has delivered 1.1 million incremental international visitors to the United States.
“Chris Thompson is a passionate advocate of the multi-billion dollar travel and tourism industry, a visionary in terms of cooperative destination marketing, and a thought leader in partnership dynamics,” said Phil Robinson, IHMRS Show Director. “We are delighted to have such a great leader officially kick off this year’s IHMRS event.”
Women in Lodging Keynote Session
IHMRS’ second day of programming (November 10) includes the Women in Lodging Keynote Session, The Future of the Industry is Now: Netgen Lodging, featuring an in-depth discussion on topics of interest to millennials—from nurturing the corporate culture to presenting professional and personal growth opportunities that inspire an entrepreneurial spirit. Developed by AH&LA’s Women in Lodging Executive Committee, this keynote session will feature the following panelists: Karen DiFulgo, Vice President, Human Resources, Benchmark Hospitality; Leslie Pchola, Area Vice President Operations, Southeast, Hilton Worldwide; and Yvette Thomas-Henry, Hotel Manager, Four Seasons New York; and will be moderated by Omari Head, Corporate Strategic Relationships Manager, Hospitality & Tourism, American Public University System.
The IHMRS’ program includes over 30 educational sessions on November 9 and 10, and all sessions are free of charge to IHMRS attendees. Topics cover multiple areas of interest ranging from Technology and Operations to Sustainability and Kitchen Design, and include session topics such as Gone Platinum! A First-Time Ever Gathering of Leaders of Three LEED Platinum Hotels; Local Extreme Wage Initiatives: Challenges & Strategies; Tweet, Post, and Get Linked(In): Leveraging Social Media for Your Property; and Global Approaches to Diversity + Inclusion in Hospitality as a Business Enabler.
IHMRS 2014 runs November 9 to 11, presenting more than 650 hospitality industry suppliers and attracting approximately 16,000 industry professionals in search of the newest hospitality products and services.
IHMRS is sponsored by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA), the Hotel Association of New York City, Inc. (HANYC), and the New York State Hospitality & Tourism Association (NYSH&TA), and is managed by Hospitality Media Group (HMG).
Additional information and the complete IHMRS exhibitor list and program are available at www.ihmrs.com.
