CHICAGO, Ill., USA/MONTE CARLO, Monaco, December 12, 2002 å- HVS International today announced that it has endorsed and become a founding sponsor of the new International Hotel Conference to be held September 17-19, 2003 at the Le Meridien Beach Plaza Hotel in Monte Carlo, Monaco.  HVS joins the International Hotel & Restaurant Association as one of the founding sponsors of the event.

“While there are several hotel conferences in Europe, none features the casual, networking atmosphere that will be available at the International Hotel Conference,” said Russell Kett, managing director of HVS International’s London office.  “We believe this is just the kind of international conference our industry needs.  As a global hospitality consulting firm, we wanted to be among the first not only to endorse the event, but to become a founding sponsor.”

The three-day event, with a theme of “Managing and Financing Strategies for the Global Hotel Industry,” will feature more than 70 leading international hoteliers as speakers, 21 interactive Think Tank sessions and 10 expert-moderated round tables on current industry topics.  In addition, the conference will offer six roundtables featuring experts who will share ideas about how to create successful developments and investments and find deals in the world’s leading markets, while allowing time for participants to ask direct questions of the experts in small-group formats.  A select cross-section of the world’s leading lenders also will be on hand to discuss financing needs in one-on-one meetings, and a professional exhibition area will allow companies to talk directly to the world’s leading hoteliers in a more private setting.

“We are delighted to have the endorsement and sponsorship of one of the world’s leading consulting organizations,” said Morris Lasky, founder of The International Hotel Conference.  “We have experienced unprecedented interest in this conference and believe that HVS International’s support and endorsement significantly enhances the quality of the event.”

Some of the general sessions will include panels of the world’s top hoteliers, as will the smaller sessions of approximately 20 to 50 people, where participants also can discuss breaking global and national issues in a comfortable, casual atmosphere.  The event will begin with an opening reception on Wednesday evening, 17 September, 2003, followed by two days of general sessions and panel discussions, with significant time left for networking and deal making. 

Attendance at the premier event will be restricted with the ratio of attendees to top-notch speakers expected to average about three-to-one, according to Mary Lou Koys, executive vice president of Lodging Unlimited, Inc., and co-founder of the conference.  “The Le Meridien, situated in Monaco and conveniently located close to Nice Airport on the Fabulous Cote d’Azur, is the property to host the event and offers a relaxed, casual atmosphere that lends itself to networking.”

The conference content is designed for senior level executives involved in the hotel industry, including owners, operators, brands, investment and lending institutions, consultants, architects/designers, brokers, lawyers and others involved in the decision-making process.  Cost of the event will be €1395, or approximately $1,375 / £900 at recent conversion rates.  Interested parties may pre-register now and will not be billed for the conference until April 2003. 

Additional information about the event, registration, sponsorships and related activities may be found at the event’s Web site www.internationalhotelconference.com, or by contacting the conference organizer, Morris Lasky at [email protected]

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