The HITEC show floor has so much to offer from point-of-sale systems to mobile applications and more from over 300 companies.
Walking in the door, you HAVE to have a plan. Despite being given three days to explore the massive technology solutions marketplace, sometimes attendees only have time to speak to a few vendors — perhaps some of them are old contacts and sometimes they are new ones.
The hospitality technology vendor community spends a great deal of time and money on research that they want to share with the industry. The HITEC Advisory Council realizes with all of that accumulated knowledge in one place on the show floor, it only makes sense to use our vendor partners to help educate HITEC attendees.
This is where the TechTours come in to play.
Get Hands-on Education
Last year the HITEC Advisory Council introduced the TechTours to the educational program. It ended up being a huge success.
Various groups of 10 attendees were escorted around the show floor to hear from companies offering various solutions in an educational format. Without the worry of being “sold” to, attendees used this one-on-one time to really educate and arm themselves with information to better qualify their time on the show floor.
What should I be looking for when purchasing IPTV solutions?
What questions should I be asking as I go around to the various booths?
What is in store for the future?
The TechTours were an excellent opportunity for attendees to ask detailed questions that are hard to ask during the show hours. The tours were incredibly successful from both the attendee and vendor sides of the conference. So much so that many asked us to “please DON’T KILL IT.”
New and Improved for HITEC 2012
As with every new venture, there are always kinks to work out. And I think we’ve worked them out for 2012.
Instead of holding the tours after the show like last year, the TechTours will be held prior to the show opening on Wednesday morning. So instead of spending all day on your feet walking the show floor and then asked to stay longer, attendees will start their day with the TechTours.
Also, we’ve selected two categories for 2012 that are always a big buzz at HITEC:
- IPTV
- Mobile Applications
With so many forward thinking initiatives on IPTV available on the show floor, the TechTours can help you educate yourself before you start your shopping.
And with “Mobile Apps” being a buzzword for most industries, this was an obvious choice as one of the selected categories for 2012. Why not visit those mobile app companies who cater to the hospitality industry on the show floor?
The TechTours help encourage attendees to take advantage of the knowledge available to them at HITEC 2012 — not only in the education rooms, but also on the show floor. Allow our vendor partners to show off their research and development efforts, while you become a smarter customer. With the TechTours you can ask your questions in a safe environment and really listen to what the companies can teach you during this session.
TechTours will be held at HITEC 2012 on Wednesday, June 27 from 8:30 – 10:00 a.m. in the HITEC Exhibit Hall.
Make sure to pre-register for the tours as spaces are limited for logistical reasons.
Since the TechTours are a part of the HITEC educational program, they are only available to those attendees who register for a full conference registration.
You can sign up for the TechTours online during your HITEC registration process or you can fill out this form if you’re already registered for the full conference.
Hey exhibitors, interested in being a tour stop on the TechTours? Fill out this application to be considered.
Steven Stout, CAE, is director of meetings and special events for HFTP.
