The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International Foundation has named Open Hospitality, the New York-based Web reservation and management solutions company for hoteliers, to the HSMAI Foundation Board Research Committee for 2007-08. Through this relationship, Open Hospitality has become a partner with HSMAI in developing research for the hospitality industry.

 

“In a unique new partnership, the HSMAI Foundation and Open Hospitality are committed to working together to further hospitality industry research and expand educational opportunities,” said Fran Brasseux, Executive Vice President, HSMAI.

“Beyond working together to support new content on the HSMAI Foundation’s eConnect resource center, Open Hospitality will also be part of the HSMAI Foundation Board Research Committee to help further new research in social media, leadership and distribution strategy,” Brasseux added.

One of the first projects Open Hospitality contributed to in conjunction with HSMAI is the recently completed publication The Travel Marketer’s Guide to Social Media and Social Networks due for release in late November.

Open Hospitality has had a strong presence within the HSMAI Big Apple Chapter and sought to expand the relationship and broaden the reach.

“Over the years, we’ve enjoyed our involvement with the New York chapter, serving on various committees and even have a past president on our sales team,” said David Millili, Open Hospitality’s CEO and Co-Founder. “We are thrilled to have been invited to work with the HSMAI Foundation Board on the Research Committee and look forward to the mutual benefits of this deepening relationship,” he added.

“We are excited to have the interest and participation with the HSMAI Foundation from Open Hospitality,” said Pam Streeter, Vice President, Electronic Distribution/Marketing for Interstate Hotels & Resorts and Chair of the HSMAI Foundation.

“Open Hospitality brings a strong Internet marketing expertise to our HSMAI Foundation, which helps us maintain a strong group of diverse advisers as we develop and expand our research projects on behalf of the hospitality industry,” Streeter added.

HSMAI Foundation and Open Hospitality have agreed to a two-year partnership for sponsorship of Foundation research.