The Must-Attend Marketing and Sales Conference

Marketing and sales are critical to sustaining and growing your conference and event business.  The competition grows each day and so do the business opportunities.   The Unique Venues Annual Marketing Conference will provide you with the tools to be at the top of your marketing and sales game.  Join us in Washington, DC, October 15-16, 2015 at the Catholic University of America.  As always, this event is FREE for all Unique Venues members, however registration is limited.  See below for Registration information and click here to find out what people are already saying about the conference using the #uvamc hashtag.  

The Program

This year, Unique Venues is pleased to announce that we are taking our conference to a new level.  Through the leadership of hospitality industry guru, Joan Eisenstodt, Unique Venues is designing an incredible educational experience for our members.  In addition to the conference design, Joan will provide impactful programming that is sure to have you leaving Washington, DC ready to tackle the task of marketing and selling to conference groups of all types.

The Schedule

Dates and Times

October 14th: Optional Study Tours and Networking Dinner at Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant at 6pm
October 15th-16th: Programming from 8am-5pm

2015 Program Highlights

• Informative General Sessions
• Engaging Roundtables
• Planner Networking
• Peer to Peer Education

More details can be found here. 

Study Tours

The study tours we offered in Chicago in 2013 were a hit. We will repeat this program in Washington, DC. This year, we will have two study tours. One tour is for those interested in learning more about Academic Venues and one for those interested in touring Day Conference Centers and Special Event Venues. All tours will be held on Wednesday, October 14th and will begin at 9:00 AM. The tours will last until 4:00 PM, which allows time for those participating in the optional networking dinner to relax a bit. Each tour will cost $95 and will include transportation during the tours as well as lunch.

More details can be found here. If you have any interest in either tour, plan ahead book your arrival for 10/13!

Meet Joan Eisenstodt

Joan Eisenstodt founded DC-based Eisenstodt Associates in 1981 to provide meetings and hospitality consulting, training and facilitation. An informed and engaging trainer, she is involved in ASAE, DMAI, MPI, PCMA, and SGMP. A life-long learner, Joan’s passionate teaching has been honored by MPI, HSMAI, IACC, PCMA, and NSA. Joan was a 2004 inductee into the CIC Hall of Leaders. She educates in all she does including her activity in social media and her blog. 

Location, Location, Location

Washington, DC

The capitol of the United States of America will serve as the host city and backdrop for our conference.  Washington, DC is more than politics and government.  It's one of the world's most cosmopolitan cities with cultural and entertainment opportunities around every corner.  Learn more about Washington, DC and all it has to offer by visiting washington.org.

The Catholic University of America

As always, Unique Venues will hold our conference at one of our valued member venues.  This year, we have selected The Catholic University of America.  Located in the up and coming North East section of Washington, Catholic University is easily accessible via the DC METRO Red Line from all of the city's favorite neighborhoods such as Capitol Hill and Downtown.  The conference facilities are within walking distance from the Brookland/CUA Metrorail stop on the Red Line, a dedicated campus stop. Union Station, Capitol Hill, and the Smithsonian museums are only a few stops away.

Networking Dinner

Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant – 6:00pm
$50/pp
1825 Connecticut Ave NW
Washington, DC 20009

Lodging

Washington, DC is a great city with many interesting neighborhoods.  Each has a wide array of accommodation offerings.  World-class hotels, historic hotels, boutique hotels and private home/flat rental options abound. The Catholic University of America, located in the Northeast quadrant of the city, is easily accessible from both Downtown and the Capitol Hill areas of the city.  There is a DC METRO Red Line station right on campus named Brookland/CUA.  When booking your hotel, we suggest selecting an area convenient to the Red Line on the METRO.  The Red Line stations of Metro Center, Gallery Place, Judiciary Square and Union Station are all METRO stations convenient to The Catholic University of America and are in the heart of the city.  

HOTEL BLOCK
Unique Venues has secured a small block of rooms at the Comfort Inn Downtown DC/Convention Center. This hotel is just a few short metro stops from the conference site. There is a metro stop on campus at Catholic University. Rooms available the nights of 10/14/15/16. Rooms may be available nights prior to and following the conference.

Hotel Information:
Comfort Inn Downtown DC/Convention Center
$169 plus tax per night
All rooms are King rooms.
TO BOOK: Please directly email Michelle Earl, Director of Sales at [email protected]. Use the group name UNIQUE VENUES. We encourage you to use the following email sample when contacting the hotel as they do not have a centralized booking system.
Sample: Hello, I'd like to book two rooms for the nights of October 14 and 15, 2015. Thank you. Please send confirmation and information on any other needed information to me at [email protected] Thank you. 

The Catholic University of America provides a list of recommended hotels.  Please visit here for more information.  Additionally, Unique Venues encourages you to consider using a third-party booking site.  Currently, rates at 4 star, prime location hotels are available for these dates for rates as low as $125 per night.  Book now!  There are many options to choose from including the following:
Hotels.com
Hotwire.com
Priceline.com
Expedia.com
Airbnb.com

Transportation

Whether arriving by car, rail or air, your travel to Washington, DC will be a breeze.

Air Transportation

Washington, DC is serviced by three major airports offering direct service to over 100 destinations in the USA, Canada and beyond.  

• Reagan National Airport (DCA)- This is the closest to the venue. It is a major hub for American Airlines and is served by all major domestic and Canadian carriers. DCA is a short cab, Uber or METRO ride from the city.
• Dulles International Airport (IAD)- IAD is served by virtually every major airline in the world.  It serves as a United Airlines hub as well.   IAD is in suburban Northern Virginia.  To get to the city, you can take a cab, UBER or the Silver Line Express to Reston Station on the METRO Silver Line.
• Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI)- Located in the Maryland Suburbs, BWI is a major hub for Southwest Airlines.  Travel details to the city from BWI can be found at www.bwiairport.com.

Rail Service

Washington, DC is a major connecting point for AMTRAK.  Most major cities in the Northeast and elsewhere have regular service to the city.  ACELA is a rapid train service to DC from Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, Providence and Boston.

Driving

Washington, DC and The Catholic University of America are easily accessible from all directions.  Parking will be available on campus for a fee of $9.25 per day.  Parking must be pre-arranged when registering for the conference. Those registering for passes will receive their passes in advance of the conference. Parking is available on a first come first served basis and will be limited on the day of the conference.

Registration Information

All members of Unique Venues receive one complimentary registration for the Annual Marketing Conference. Premier Plus members receive one additional complimentary registration. All cancellations received after September 30, 2015 will be charged a cancellation fee of $100.  If you would like to register additional attendees, the fee is $295 per person. Ready to sign up for your spot at the UVAMC in Washington, DC?