Contact: Estuardo V. Rodriguez, Jr.
April 15, 2005 Direct: 202-463-4806

TRAVEL & TOURISM INDUSTRY RECOGNIZES HISPANIC TRAVELERS AS PROFITABLE MARKET

Washington, D.C. - Hispanic Meetings & Travel magazine (HM&T) was launched to inform and educate the Hispanic community on the business of the travel and tourism industry. Associate Publisher and Editor in Chief, Angela Gonzalez Rowe said, “As the combined purchasing power of U.S. Hispanics began to show tremendous growth so began the opportunity for Hispanic entrepreneurs to capitalize on this burgeoning market trend …we saw a need to represent the Hispanic market in the industry and took the plunge.”

A 2003 Travel Industry Association of America (TIA) Minority Traveler Report confirmed that the Hispanic traveler is truly a profitable market segment. Suzanne Cook, Senior V.P. – Research & Technology for TIA in 2004 noted, “Hispanic-Americans now represent the largest minority group in the U.S., [and] generate the highest travel volume – over 77 million person-trips or 8 percent of all domestic person-trips taken by U.S. households. Travel by Hispanic Americans has grown significantly, some 20 percent between 2000 and 2002 alone, a time when total U.S. domestic travel grew 2 percent.”

As part of HM&T’s education and awareness efforts, it created the Hispanic Executive Meeting Management Forum (HEMMF) to facilitate an exploration of issues that Hispanic non profit, government and corporate organizations face in this industry.

On June 15, 2005 HM&T will convene the 3rd Annual Hispanic Executive Meeting Management Forum at the Beacon Hotel and Corporate Quarters located at 1615 Rhode Island Ave. N.W. in Washington D.C. The half day event will be hosted by ABC News Legal Correspondent, Manny Medrano, and feature speakers such as the former president of the USHCC, George Herrera, Washington Director of NALEO, Larry Gonzalez and many other distinguished panelists. Premiere sponsors are Hilton Hotels Corporation and the Beacon Hotel and Corporate Quarters.

Attendees can expect educational sessions that will offer solutions and resources they can take back and implement immediately. A networking reception will follow allowing attendees and sponsors an opportunity to discuss ‘best practice’ strategies and share common work experiences.

The HEMMF caters to the Hispanic non-profit, government, and corporate organization executives, charged with overall management of annual conferences/meetings as well as travel and tourism industry representatives who are interested in pursuing business opportunities with the Hispanic community.

For more information on HM&T or the 3rd Annual Hispanic Executive Meeting Management Forum you may call Angela Rowe at 281-333-1881 or log on to www.hispanicmeetingstravel.com