Smith Travel Research announces the inaugural Hotel Data Conference scheduled for August 4-5, 2009 in Nashville, Tennessee. The two-day conference will include presentations from the industry’s leading data providers and will cover issues affecting the industry while providing important hotel market data and useful performance benchmarking.The Hotel Data Conference will be held at the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Nashville.  There is limited seating available, so early registration is recommended.

“With the current economic environment putting data in the forefront of everyone’s mind, the timing is right for STR to provide an event that will allow attendees to better understand the hotel industry’s current condition,” said Mark Lomanno, president of STR. “The Hotel Data Conference will provide anyone interested in digging below the surface of the hotel data a cost-effective way to learn more. We’re excited about the opportunity to share our knowledge, as well as the knowledge of the other respected speakers scheduled to appear at the conference, in a casual, interactive setting.”

Randy Smith, STR’s co-founder and CEO, said that frequent requests for the STR-derived data over the years provide a perfect backdrop for the Hotel Data Conference. “We believe we have a good rapport with nearly everyone in the U.S. hotel industry and look forward to the opportunity to help them analyze data trends during one of the country’s most challenging economic environments. That we can welcome them to STR’s hometown and arm them with information that provides them with a better understanding of the hotel industry’s current situation is something that we’re proud of.”

Guests of the conference will have the opportunity to meet and interact with speakers, panellists, and other STR data users. Topics scheduled to be covered during the conference include: U.S. hotel industry forecasts from STR, PKF Consulting, and PricewaterhouseCoopers; consumer business and leisure travel; hotel demand and industry cycles; and STR data overviews, including top markets, customer segments, chain scale, pipeline and hotel operating statistics.
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