2009 MEETING (FEB. 10-11): An enhanced, reformatted educational component, a rollout of new member benefits, and an "Old New York"-themed gala were among the highlights of RSAA's annual Summit Conference.

CHALLENGE: RSAA's members are U.S. receptive tour operators and suppliers (lodging companies, transportation companies, destinations, attractions, restaurants). They contract with overseas tour wholesalers to provide inbound tourist services throughout the country and to FIT (foreign independent travel) travelers from abroad, said Todd Hamilton, executive director.

RSAA needed to give members a stronger-than-ever rationale for attending the Summit Conference in the current economy. Instead of a trade-show format, tour operators met with suppliers on the second day of the event for short, pre-arranged appointments. Additionally, RSAA's new partnership with association management firm IMG Associations of Lexington, Ky., gave it the opportunity to revitalize the conference content and reinvigorate its brand.

INITIATIVES: In pre-conference e-mail communications with members, RSAA played up the savings potential of interfacing with some 40 to 50 suppliers at a single event instead of taking multiple trips to accomplish the same goal. "We wanted to entice members by showing the real bang they could get for their attendance buck, and to eliminate the temptation to skip this year's Summit Conference and just come to the next one, thinking nothing would be lost by it," Hamilton said.

RSAA also charted unfamiliar territory this year by bringing the conference to New York City for the first time. The change of venue not only put a fresh face on the event, it also made sound financial sense, because many attendees are based in or around New York City.

The first day of the conference is always devoted entirely to educational sessions, but this year RSAA broke with tradition by also including a keynote address - "a great way to add more relevant content to our presentations," Hamilton said. Conference Board economist Ken Goldstein discussed how the travel and tourism industry is being shaped by current economic conditions. A breakout session on the topic featured speakers from the U.S. Department of Commerce. Other issues covered on Tuesday included how to tap into the international inbound market, using social networking and Web 2.0 as business-building tools, and effective electronic marketing practices. New benefits and programs for members, including a credit program geared especially to tour operators who cater to the international market, and a dental-insurance offering, were unveiled as well.

"In the past, much of the conference content has focused on the bigger picture," Hamilton said. "However, it was clear to us that the greatest value would be had by tying into critical issues, such as how to succeed despite the economy and where to look for opportunities."

Wednesday's program featured a "Business Exchange" for tour operators to rotate at 10-minute intervals among tables occupied by suppliers. All appointments were scheduled prior to the event, via a tool on RSAA's Web site. Hamilton said the appointment format works better for the association than trade-show booths because it maximizes the number of contacts attendees can make during the course of the day.