Small Market Meetings SUMMIT 2024
‘Team’ Sell Your Destination. 1 to 1 Marketing. Pod Seating Sales Missions.
DuPage, Illinois, May 22-23, 2024
SMMS 2024 OFFICIAL HOTEL:
Chicago Marriott Southwest at Burr Ridge
1200 Burr Ridge Pkwy, Burr Ridge, IL 60527, PH: 630-986-4100
SUMMIT Benefits
Meet New Meeting Planners.
Network with Your Peers.
Speakers with Cutting Edge Topics.
Sales Sessions for Your Destination Partners.
The Small Market Meetings Summit is a gathering of destinations, hotels, conference centers and meeting planners looking for small to medium size conferences and everything in between. Meet in a relaxed setting with an evening reception, meals, educational seminars and sales missions. Twenty-five meeting planners are matched with twenty-five destinations with three representatives from their destination.
Sales sessions are twelve minutes long and are held in a pod of three representatives from each destination and one meeting planner. Longer sales sessions provide each of the three representatives from their city and overview of their destination and its offerings to the meeting planner. Relationships happen and business is booked.
SUMMIT Schedule
DuPage, Illinois May 22-23, 2024
Wednesday, May 22, 2024
1:00 PM : Summit Registration
Welcome to Small Market Meetings Summit, Meet the Summit Staff that will take care of you.
6:00 PM : Welcome Reception
Enjoy a Hosted Reception with surprises in store for our guests.
Thursday, May 23, 2024
8:00 AM : Sponsored Breakfast
Start your day with colleagues in an atmosphere designed to boost the thought process for a great day.
8:45 AM : Education Seminars
Seminars about the current topics and challenges for Meeting Planners & Travel Industry relating to Conferences & Conventions.
10:00 AM : Marketplace Sales Missions
Meet with Meeting Planners & Destinations to begin or enhance your business relationship.
12:30 PM : Sponsored Lunch
Recharge your mind and body with a great lunch.
1:30 PM : Marketplace Sales Missions
Meet with Meeting Planners & Destinations to begin or enhance your business relationship.
4:30 PM : Summit Concludes
Important note: The start and ending times of the Conference Schedule are fixed times and travel plans may be made accordingly. The above listing of individual events are subject to change. Official delegates will receive their final schedule 2 weeks prior to the Conference. If there is a specific question regarding scheduling, please reach out to Ben at 800-628-0993 for assistance.
SCHEDULE REVISED: 06/23/2023
FAQ HELP CENTER
Welcome to our Help Center. Whether it’s registration, travel, conference planning or something else – you’ll get answers here. Not finding what you're looking for? Just call 800-628-0993 or contact our team...
Registered, Have Questions >
Inquiry Before Registering >
FAQ HELP CENTER
Welcome to our Help Center. Whether it’s registration, travel, conference planning or something else – you’ll get answers here. Not finding what you're looking for? Just call 800-628-0993 or contact our team...
Registered, Have Questions >
Inquiry Before Registering >
IMORTANT 2024 DATES
IMPORTANT 2024 DATES
NOW — Travel Industry Make Hotel Reservations.
NOW — Meeting Planners Make Hotel Reservations.
April 1 — Email Request Link Sent for Profile Details.
April 6 — Last Day Link for Profiles is Live to Complete.
April 6 — Send Travel Information to SUMMIT Office.
No selection process necessary for One on One Appointments for ALL delegates.
CONFERENCE HOTEL
CONFERENCE HOTEL
Chicago Marriott Southwest at Burr Ridge
1200 Burr Ridge Pkwy, Burr Ridge, IL 60527, PH: 630-986-4100
Meeting Planner — Room and tax included in registration fee for May 22 ONLY. Incidentals are not included. A valid credit card and id will be requested upon check in. Reserve room nights thru the SUMMIT office ONLY, including pre or post nights to receive your meeting planner rate by contacting our Team at 800-628-0993. Call with any questions.
Travel Industry — Hotel room reservations, taxes and incidental charges are your responsibility. In order to secure the Industry Rate per night contact the Conference Hotel ASAP and reference the Small Market Meetings SUMMIT for your discounted rate. No Room Block Code is necessary.
AIRPORT & SHUTTLES
AIRPORT & SHUTTLES
O'Hare International Airport (ORD) Chicago, IL
Shuttle Service provided complimentary by DISCOVER DUPAGE CVB to Conference Hotel — TBA. Travel time from Airport to Conference Hotel is approximately 35 minutes. Please allow time when planning air reservations for flight, baggage pickup and transit to the hotel.
Return shuttle service to the Airport — TBA. To ensure proper transportation, baggage check in and of course TSA, please make departing flights for after 7:00 pm.
Alternative Transportation Services — All major rental car agencies service the Airport areas. Car ride sharing is also available however we recommend pre booking to ensure the best option and price. If you need help in choosing alternative transportation, please Contact our Team at 800-628-0993.
MARKETPLACE
MARKETPLACE
This is the Marketplace where Travel Industry guests showcase their destination to Meeting Planners. Each appointment is 12 minutes in duration. The Planner is seated at a booth, while the Travel Industry delegates move between them each session.
INCLUDES
INCLUDES
EVERYONE ENJOYS
RECEPTION & ENTERTAINMENT — Start the Small Market Meetings Summit (SMMS) off with great food & entertainment from our HOST
MARKETPLACE SESSIONS — Business starts here. Summit delegates come together to begin or enhance business relationships. You will meet with all delegates attending the SUMMIT in a 12 minute one on one appointment series.
DINING EVENTS — Meal functions bring together all guests of the Small Market Meetings Summit to meet new friends and develop relationships. ALL Summit guests are welcome, there are no Meeting Planners only events at the SMMS.
TRAVEL INDUSTRY INCLUDES
MARKETING — Digital Delegate Registry to follow up with all attendees.
MEETING PLANNER INCLUDES
TRAVEL REBATE — Meeting planners completing SUMMIT functions including all Mission Appointments will be eligible for a transportation rebate. CALL OUR TEAM FOR DETAILS
HOTEL — Rooms for May 10 are included in your hosted delegate registration for appointment taking meeting planners.
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Conference Details
New Delegate Orientation
We have all been there. The new person in the room. The first timer. The great thing about our Conference is the friendly, open welcome that all delegates give to one another. Travel Industry and Travel Planner alike all want the Group Travel Industry to succeed and...
Guide to a Perfect Appointment
Bags are packed and you are ready to hit the road of discovery. At the Conference you will be meeting with the best of the best in the group travel industry. After you have submitted your appointment request, we take all requests from all delegates and complete your...
Profiles: An Important PreCon Prep
It seems like just another part of your check list for Conference attendance, but completing your Profile is much more than that. For the Travel Planner your profile gives important details about not only the demographics of your followers (group size, age, number of...
Legal Details
CANCELLATIONS & REFUNDS. Group Travel Family Conference is committed to providing all of our delegates with exceptional and vetted Conference experience. Space is limited and standards of conference appointment scheduling happens weeks prior to the Conference...
Dress for Success
You never get a second chance to make a first impression. ~ Saying by Will Rogers and many others! There are three things to consider when dressing for success at the Conference. Your Feet, your feet, your feet! The number one rule at the Conference is that it is...
Handouts, Swag & Merch
The standard question for the travel industry: What can I handout? The answer simple … and not so simple. For the Travel Industry and the Marketplace Floor: One 8 ½ x 11 printed sheet that the planner can place in their portfolio. For Sponsors with Booths in...
Sponsorships
SUMMIT 2023 is now taking limited sponsorship requests
What Industry Leaders are saying about SUMMIT 2022
“You are surrounded by Meeting Planners of high caliber, who are looking for the very best location for their next meeting. SUMMIT allows our complete team to answer all the RFP questions. Today. In real time.” Ed Kirby, Visit Henderson NV
Sponsorships are available for all budget price points – and can be tailored to meet your needs. Starting at $1,500 to $15,000! Reinforce your destination while at the conference by with stepping stones, branding marketplace with your logo, mobile ap ads and sponsorship and even do a full court press with marketplace booths or meal functions sponsorship including speaking time.
Sponsorships can extend beyond the Summit. Engage the meeting planners with pre / post emails or social media posts.
Contact Jennifer 800-628-0993
