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Elite Meetings Alliance by Cvent
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First Elite Meetings Alliances of 2016 Score High Marks
from Both Planners and Hoteliers
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Santa Barbara, CA – May 2016 / Newsmaker Alert / Elite Meetings International (EMI), a leading provider of integrated solutions to enhance the performance of meeting and hospitality professionals, concluded its first three Elite Meetings Alliances (EMAs) of 2016. Each three-day event, which included one-on-one meetings, continuing education sessions eligible for Certified Meeting Professional credits, and numerous networking events, resulted in high praise and equally high expectations for resulting business between the meetings and events planners and suppliers in attendance.

The first three EMAs of 2016 took place at the following EMI-certified Platinum Collection hotels:

  • February 29–March 2 at the Salamander Resort & Spa in Middleburg, VA
  • March 20–22 at The Ballantyne, a Luxury Collection Hotel, in Charlotte, NC
  • April 3–5 at the Island Hotel Newport Beach in Newport Beach, CA
Exit surveys conducted at each event showed that nearly 100 percent of both planners and suppliers in attendance said they would book business with a planner or supplier they met at their EMA. Additionally, nearly 50 percent of suppliers said they received four to six leads in the course of the three-day event they attended.

“The first three EMAs of 2016 exceeded our expectations. From our sponsors to the speakers and the teams at the resort and hotels, everyone went above and beyond to provide attendees with an unforgettable experience,” said Kelly Foy, vice president of sales at Elite Meetings International. “As luxury group business continues to grow, we’re committed to raising the bar each year to provide both planners and suppliers with invaluable education and tools they need to conduct business.”
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First Elite Meetings Alliances of 2016 Score High Marks from Both Planners and Hoteliers
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Feedback from all three EMAs was uniformly positive, although each event was entirely unique. The year’s first event at Salamander Resort & Spa came with an unexpected weather delay as winter storm Jonas forced a last-minute postponement, something that most meeting planners must deal with during their careers. However, the hotel accommodated the event just three weeks later in extraordinary fashion. Foy praised the hotel’s efforts and said, “Salamander worked with us to reschedule an incredible event, and our attendees were delighted with the results.” Highlights of the event came during the resort’s collaboration with local restaurants to showcase local wines and farm-to-table dining. Planners at the event were also among the first to see the 10th Anniversary edition of Elite Meetings magazine, which also received enthusiastic feedback.

Just three weeks later, the second EMA of the year kicked off at The Ballantyne, a Luxury Collection Hotel in Charlotte, North Carolina. Attendees experienced quintessential Southern charm with a wonderfully entertaining “Bourbon, Brews, and Blues” reception at the Ballantyne’s private lodge. Attendees especially enjoyed a creative team-building event with Ella B Candles, and praised the inspiring keynote address from Matthew Tenney, whose presentation moved many in the audience to tears. A CSR activity with Stop Hunger Now offered planners and hoteliers a chance to give back to the local community.

The EMA headed west for the next event, to the Island Hotel, Newport Beach, where talented teams from Visit Newport Beach and ACCESS Destination Services orchestrated a planner welcome reception that invited attendees to customize their own pair of Havaianas sandals. One of several highlights for hoteliers and planners alike: the lunch banquet at Newport Beach’s high-end shopping destination, Fashion Island—complete with a flash mob. An official welcome from the mayor of Newport Beach and boat cruise around Newport Harbor that collected donations for the local food kitchen enhanced the third of the year’s EMAs.

Two additional EMAs will take place in 2016. The next will take place September 25–27 at Paradisus Playa del Carmen in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. The last EMA of 2016 will take place November 6–8 at Pasea Hotel & Spa in Huntington Beach, CA. For more information on Elite Meetings Alliances, visit www.EliteMeetingsAlliance.com.

About Elite Meetings Alliance
The EMA is a three-day, invitation-only event that brings together prequalified corporate and association planners with leaders in the luxury hotel industry to cultivate relationships and build business. It centers on private, personalized business development meetings, continuing education breakout sessions for CMP credit, and unique networking activities.

About Elite Meetings International
Based in Santa Barbara, California, Elite Meetings International (EMI), a subsidiary of Cvent, provides integrated solutions to enhance the performance of meeting and hospitality professionals. EMI supports this community through a combination of innovative technologies, direct sales support, customized marketing programs, face-to-face business-building events, and an annual publication, Elite Meetings magazine. Additionally, www.EliteMeetings.com serves as a commission-free RFP-generating tool and a comprehensive vehicle for sourcing luxury, upper-upscale and upscale properties. EMI’s innovations include SpeedRFP™ (www.SpeedRFP.com), a time-saving product for creating, submitting, and managing RFPs online. For additional information, please visit www.EliteMeetings.com or call 805-730-1000.

About Cvent
Cvent, Inc. (NYSE: CVT) is a leading cloud-based enterprise event management platform, with more than 14,000 customers worldwide. Cvent offers software solutions to event planners for online event registration, venue selection, event management, mobile apps for events, e-mail marketing and web surveys. Cvent provides hoteliers with an integrated platform, enabling properties to increase group business demand through targeted advertising and improve conversion through proprietary demand management and business intelligence solutions. Cvent solutions optimize the entire event management value chain and have enabled clients around the world to manage hundreds of thousands of meetings and events. For more information, please visit www.Cvent.com, or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

“Safe harbor” statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements relating to the growth of the luxury group business market and expectations regarding the performance and results of the EMAs. The achievement or success of the matters covered by forward-looking statements involves risks, uncertainties and assumptions. If any such risks or uncertainties materialize, or if any of the assumptions prove incorrect, the company’s results could differ materially from the results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements we make. For a detailed discussion of these and other risk factors, please refer to the risks detailed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including: our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on March 1, 2016, as amended on April 29, 2016; our Form 10-Q filed on May 5, 2016, and other reports and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Media Contact:
Karen Cahill
805-879-4488
Elite Meetings International

Elite Meetings International (EMI), a subsidiary of Cvent
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Publishing Dates: 05/10/16 – 07/10/16
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