FAQ's
General Information
What are the official dates of the 2008 PCMA Annual Meeting?
Sunday, January 13, 2008 through Wednesday, January 16, 2008.
PCMA Annual Meeting Orientation is on Sunday, January 13 at 1:30 p.m. followed by the Opening Welcome Reception at 6:30 p.m. However, Hospitality Helping Hands, pre-conference workshops, and tour excursions begin on Saturday, January 12.
Who should attend the PCMA Annual Meeting?
Any meetings and convention industry professional or supplier partner to the meetings and convention industry. This is the premier education and networking event in the industry. Discover innovative solutions to save you time and money, enhance your performance, and explore how world issues impact the meetings and convention industry.
Students and faculty in the meetings and convention industry are also encouraged to attend.
Based on evaluations, 93% of 2007 PCMA Annual Meeting attendees plan on attending the 2008 meeting. Join them and explore the possibilities that lie within yourself, your organization, and the meetings industry.
Where is the Annual Meeting located?
The Washington State Convention & Trade Center in Seattle, WA.
This is my first PCMA Annual Meeting, what should I expect?
Welcome! We are glad you have chosen to attend the 52nd PCMA Annual Meeting.
Don't miss these programs to help you get the most out of your experience:
PCMA Mentor Program
No matter where you are in your career, having a mentor is a key element to becoming a great leader. Being a great leader means that you have an enormous amount of experience with which you can help others succeed. Sign up to be a part of the PCMA Mentor Program and help yourself or a protégé progress on the path to career advancement. This program requires pre-registration. Please sign up on the registration form or contact Member Relations at membership@pcma.org if you have already registered.
PCMA Annual Meeting Orientation
Are you looking to make the most of your Annual Meeting experience? Then join us on Sunday before the meeting officially kicks off to learn the ins and outs of the Annual Meeting and discover the “must-attend” events. This multifaceted program will help you determine what goals are most important to you and your career and then help you match them with the education sessions and networking events that will offer you a customized learning experience. Space is limited – so don’t miss this one! Please note your interest on the registration form.
PCMA Connect
Maximize your 2008 PCMA Annual Meeting ROI with this online networking community. PCMA Connect is an innovative tool that enables you to strategically identify fellow attendees you would like to connect with before, during, and after the event. Receive more information via email when you register for the Annual Meeting.
Other Questions?
If you would like to learn more about Seattle click here.
If you would like to learn more about the education sessions, click here.
If you would like to learn more about the networking events, click here.
If you have any further questions about the Annual Meeting, please click here to contact a representative at PCMA or contact annualmeeting@pcma.org.
What is the first event; When does the meeting open?
PCMA Annual Meeting Orientation is on Sunday, January 13 at 1:30 p.m. followed by the Opening Welcome Reception at 6:30 p.m. However, pre-conference workshops and tour excursions begin on Saturday, January 12.
What is the last event; When does the meeting end?
The PCMA Annual Meeting concludes on Wednesday with “can’t miss” events including an inspiring general session lead by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. at 3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. and a fabulous grand finale networking event at the Seattle Sheraton that begins at 6:00 p.m. Extend your stay and enjoy all that Seattle has to offer including pre- and post-fam tours. Visit www.pcmaseattle.org for more information on spectacular Seattle.
Where can I get a copy of the entire program?
A preliminary program will be mailed early October. If you have not received a copy by October 20, please click here to request one. The program is being updated on an on-going basis online- click here to view the Schedule-at-a-glance. The final program will be available on-site in Seattle.
What is the Dress Code?
Attire at the PCMA Annual Meeting is business casual. Feel free to be comfortable in slacks, polo shirts, sweaters, blazers, blouses, and most importantly, comfortable shoes! Suits, ties, nine-to-five dresses and high heels are not required.
What night is the open evening for supplier partner entertaining?
Tuesday night, January 15. Please remember to bring your guests back to Party With a Purpose for more networking and fun!
Will child care be provided?
PCMA does not provide child care services during the Annual Meeting. Attendees requiring assistance with child care should contact their hotel concierge.
Is there accessibility for persons with disabilities?
I have a question about Seattle.
Seattle has created a website specifically for your PCMA Seattle experience. Please visit www.pcmaseattle.org for information specific to your visit. Contact the Seattle Convention & Visitors Bureau at 206.461.5840 or via email at visinfo@visitseattle.org with any questions.
I have a question about obtaining function space around the city and the contracted hotels.
If you are interested in function space at the contracted hotels please complete the Meeting Space Request Form. Please click here to download a .pdf of the form. For function space locations around the city, please contact the Seattle Convention & Visitors Bureau at 206.461.5840 or via email at visinfo@visitseattle.org.
I have a question about Hospitality Helping Hands.
Please click here to review the program or call the PCMA Headquarters office at 312.423.7262.
I have a question about Party With a Purpose.
Please click here to review the program or call the PCMA Headquarters office at 312.423.7262.
I have a question about partnerships or sponsorships.
Please click here or contact the PCMA Sales and Strategic Partnership Department at 312.423.7262.
I have a question about membership.
Please contact PCMA Member Relations at 312.423.7262 or membership@pcma.org .
I have a question about chapter activities during the Annual Meeting.
Please click here or contact PCMA Member Relations at 312.423.7262 or membership@pcma.org .
I have a question about Student activities during the Annual Meeting.
Please click here contact PCMA Member Relations at 312.423.7262 or membership@pcma.org.
Where is the next PCMA Annual Meeting?
January 11-14, 2009 in New Orleans, Louisiana
January 10-13, 2010 in Dallas, Texas
Registration
How can I register for the Annual Meeting?
Online: click here
Internet booking is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Credit card only. Receive immediate Registration Confirmation
Fax: Click here to download the registration form as a pdf.
800.521.6017 - Toll-free U.S. & Canada
847.940.2386 - International
Credit card only
Allow seven business days for processing and receipt of Registration Confirmation.
Mail: Click here to download the registration form as a pdf.
Experient / PCMA 52ND Annual Meeting
P.O. Box 825
Deerfield, IL 60015-0825
Credit card or check (drawn on U.S. bank in U.S. funds). No wire transfers or purchase orders will be accepted.
Allow seven business days for processing and receipt of Registration Confirmation.
Please do not mail and fax your registration.
On-site:
Please register at the On-Site Registration Desk or the On-Site Self-Registration kiosks at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center during the following days/times:
| Saturday, January 12th | 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (11.00-18.00) |
| Sunday, January 13th | 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. (07.00-19.00) |
| Monday, January 14th | 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. (07.00-19.00) |
| Tuesday, January 15th | 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. (07.00-19.00) |
| Wednesday, January 16th | 7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (07.00-17.00) |
What is the registration fee?
Registration fees are based on the PCMA membership categories. Your membership must be current and/or processed before you may receive the member registration rate. All registration fees are listed in U.S. Currency.
| Registration Fees in USD | RECEIVED ON OR | RECEIVED AFTER 11/29/07 OR ON-SITE |
| Professional member | $650 | $750 |
| Associate Professional member* | $650 | $750 |
| Supplier Partner member | $750 | $850 |
| Associate Supplier Partner member* | $750 | $850 |
| Faculty member | $440 | $490 |
| Student member | $230 | $280 |
| Non-member planner | $1100 | $1100 |
| Non-member supplier | $1400 | $1400 |
| Non-member faculty | $670 | $670 |
| Non-member student | $400 | $400 |
| Guest** | $190 | $290 |
| One Day Professional member | $385 | $485 |
| One Day Supplier Partner member | $485 | $585 |
| One Day Non-member planner | $660 | $760 |
| One Day Non-member supplier | $760 | $860 |
*Associate members who have already attended one PCMA Annual Meeting at the member rate must upgrade their membership in order to register for the meeting at the member rate. Please contact PCMA Member Relations to upgrade your membership prior to registering (please allow 2 business days for processing membership changes). Your registration will not be processed without completing an upgrade.
**Guest refers to a spouse, significant other or personal friend, NOT a business associate, staff colleague or fellow student. Guest registration will NOT allow access to any sessions or activities except evening receptions on Sunday, Monday and Wednesday evenings.
How do I know if I'm registered?
All attendees will receive an email confirmation, or mail confirmation if no email address is provided. This confirmation/receipt verifies your address information, the event(s) you have signed up for, and how much you have paid. Attendees who register online are urged to print the receipt copy of their registration to keep for their records. If you have not received your confirmation within three weeks of registering, please contact the PCMA Registration and Housing Bureau at 800.220.3839 from the U.S. and Canada, from all other locations, 847.940.2395 and via email at pcma@experient-inc.com .
What are the deadlines for registration?
Early Bird Registration for members only
Via Mail: Postmarked on or before September 20, 2007
Via Fax / Web: Date/time stamped by 5:00 p.m. (EST) on September 20, 2007
Registration open to all on September 24, 2007
Regular registration deadline
Via Mail: Received on or before November 29, 2007.
Via Fax / Web: Date/time stamped by 5:00 p.m. (EST) on November 29, 2007
Late registration
There is no deadline for late registration. Deadline for Regular Registration is November 29, 2007. Higher registration fees will apply after November 29 and on-site. You must register before December 14, 2007 in order to be included in the official Attendee List.
What is included in my registration fee?
All educational sessions (with the exception of optional and/or additional fee sessions as indicated on the registration form); the Welcome Reception on Sunday; the Evening Reception on Monday, the Closing Event on Wednesday evening; continental breakfasts and luncheons on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and all refreshment breaks. Guest registration includes ONLY the evening events on Sunday, Monday and Wednesday.
Where can I get a registration form?
Click here to download the registration form via Adobe Acrobat. You can register online, via fax, or by mail. Phone registrations/hotel reservations are NOT accepted.
Where/when can I register on-site?
The PCMA Registration Area will be located on level 4 of the Washington State Convention & Trade Center.
| Saturday, January 12th | 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (11.00-18.00) |
| Sunday, January 13th | 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. (07.00-19.00) |
| Monday, January 14th | 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. (07.00-19.00) |
| Tuesday, January 15th | 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. (07.00-19.00) |
| Wednesday, January 16th | 7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (07.00-17.00) |
Do I have to register for individual sessions? Are sessions ticketed?
You must register for sessions only if they require an additional fee or are indicated for selection on the registration form. However, we encourage you to use the Personal Planner through the Registration and Housing link on the PCMA website to schedule your Annual Meeting events, as well as to assist PCMA with planning for session attendance.
What if I sign up for a ticketed event/session that is already full?
Attendees who register for a ticketed event/session that has reached maximum capacity will be put on a wait list. We will notify attendees (in the order the names were received) if space becomes available up to two weeks prior to the Annual Meeting.
How will I receive my badge?
Attendees registering in advance may pick up badge and registration materials at the Advance Registration desk at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center during hours indicated above for on-site Registration. Please note that photo ID will be required to pick up badges/materials. Students must show valid student identification in order to pick up badges/materials if registered at the student rate. Attendees will not be allowed to pick up other attendee badges/materials.
I have a question or problem regarding my registration.
Contact the 2008 PCMA Annual Meeting Registration/Housing Bureau via email at pcma@experient-inc.com or by phone at 800.220.3839 (Toll-free U.S. & Canada) or 847.940.2395 (International). Assistance is available from 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday.
Please note Registration/Housing Bureau Holiday Hours:
| Thursday, November 22, 2007 and Friday, November 23, 2007 | CLOSED |
| Monday, December 24, 2007 | CLOSED at 4:00 p.m. EST |
| Tuesday, December 25, 2007 | CLOSED |
| Monday, December 31, 2007 | CLOSED at 4:00 p.m. EST |
| Tuesday, January 1, 2008 | CLOSED |
What if I need to cancel my registration?
Written requests for registration refunds must be postmarked on or before December 21, 2007. Telephone calls are not acceptable.
Annual Meeting refunds will be less a $125 USD processing fee, there are no exceptions.
Additional pre-meeting workshops and optional ticketed sessions will be less a $25 USD (each) processing fee in addition to any annual meeting registration cancellation processing fee.
Guest cancellations are subject to a $50 USD cancellation processing fee in addition to any annual meeting registration cancellation processing fee.
There are no refunds for charitable events – Hospitality Helping Hands or Party With A Purpose.
No refunds will be made after December 21, 2007.
No refunds will be given for no-shows.
Housing and Travel
Which hotels in Seattle are official PCMA Annual Meeting hotels?
The official Headquarters hotel is the Sheraton Seattle. Additional PCMA hotels are the Crowne Plaza Seattle, Fairmont Olympic Hotel, Grand Hyatt Seattle, Hilton Seattle, Red Lion Hotel, and Westin Seattle. To learn more about these hotels and view rates, please click here.
Where can I get a housing form? How do I make a reservation?
Click here to download the registration form via Adobe Acrobat. You can make your reservation online, via fax or mail. Please note: you must register for the Annual Meeting to reserve your hotel room. Please submit all necessary forms at the same time.
How far are the hotels from the convention center? Will there be shuttle service between the hotels and convention center?
The distance varies for each hotel. The Sheraton Seattle Hotel is directly across from the Washington State Convention & Trade Center. There will be shuttle buses to take attendees to and from the Washington State Convention & Trade Center from the hotels (Crowne Plaza, Fairmont Olympic, Grand Hyatt, Hilton Seattle, Red Lion, Sheraton Seattle and Westin Seattle). The shuttle will not take attendees between hotel properties unless there is an official PCMA scheduled event there.
What if I need to cancel my hotel reservation?
Changes and/or cancellations made on or before Friday, December 19, 2007 at 5:00 p.m. (EST) should be made online by accessing your registration/housing record or in writing via e-mail pcma@experient-inc.com . Changes and/or cancellations after Friday, December 28, 2007 must be made directly with the individual hotel.
Cancellations for all PCMA participating hotels must be received a minimum of 72 hours prior to arrival in order to receive a refund of your deposit, less a $50 USD cancellation fee. The difference between the $175 USD deposit and one night’s room and tax may be automatically charged to the credit card on file by the hotel for cancellations within 72 hours of arrival and no shows. No refunds will be given for cancellations within 72 hours of arrival or no shows.
I have a question regarding housing.
Contact the PCMA Housing Bureau (Experient) at 800.220.3839 from the U.S. and Canada, or from all other locations, 847.940.2395.
I have a question about Student housing.
Please click here to read the Student housing information PDF.
Can I get a discount on my airfare to the Annual Meeting?
PCMA has partnered with the following airlines to provide transportation to the Annual Meeting. Plan to book early for the best airfare discounts. All fares are based on availability; the lowest fare will always be quoted. Be sure to inform the airline agent of the PCMA Annual Meeting code to obtain discounts. Seattle’s SEA-TAC International Airport is located approximately 30 minutes from PCMA’s participating hotels.
| Airline Meeting Desk | Website or Phone Number | Meeting Code |
| Alaska Airlines | www.alaskaair.com | ECCMR9719 |
| American Airlines | www.aa.com or 1-800-433-1790 | A8018AH |
| Delta Air Lines | www.delta.com | see below |
| United Airlines | www.united.com | 564MP |
Alaska Airlines
Meeting Promotional Code: ECCMR9719
Travel Dates: January 10 – 19
Origin: Any Alaska Airlines city
Destination: (SEA) Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
Fares Offered: 5% and 10% discount
Visit www.alaskaair.com . Please enter the promotional code, ECCMR9719 into the e-certificate field on the home page to receive the discounted airfare.
American Airlines
Meeting Promotional Code: A8018AH
Travel Dates: January 11 - 18
Origin: Any American Airlines city
Destination: (SEA) Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
Fares Offered: 5% discount
Visit www.aa.com or contact the American Airlines Meeting Services Desk at 1-800-433-1790 for assistance with reservations and ticket purchase.
Delta Airlines
Fly Delta Air Lines and enjoy exclusive discounts! Discounts vary depending on the cabin and available airfare level. Avoid airline or agency booking fees, skip lines at the airport by issuing your own boarding pass at home and manage your flight itinerary.
To Make your Delta Air Lines Travel Reservations:
- Click on the Delta.com link above
- This will bring you to the Delta Air Lines website – where you can make your reservations and have your tickets issued
- The applicable discount will automatically apply and the total airfare noted included all taxes and fees – convenient, fast and NO MEETING CODE NEEDED.
NOTE: If you go to the www.delta.com website directly you will not get a discount
United Airlines
Meeting Promotional Code: 564MP
Travel Dates: January 6 - 23
Origin: This special offer applies to flights to or from the US only
Destination: (SEA) Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
Fares Offered: 5% and 10% discount
Visit www.united.com , enter your origin and destination, travel dates and your promotion code number, 564MP; note the CODE 564MP is case sensitive and the characters need to be capitalized. Flights that qualify for the discount will be clearly identified with a red star symbol, which means that the itinerary is "electronic certificate eligible". When you select an electronic certificate eligible flight, it will automatically calculate and present your discounted fare. There are no fees for booking online.
What is the closest airport to the 2008 PCMA Annual Meeting?
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport; it is located 17 miles from downtown Seattle – about a 25 minute taxi ride.
Education
How many CEUs will I earn for attending the Annual Meeting?
Calculations of CEUs:
60 minutes = .1 CEU
75 minutes = .1 CEU
90 minutes = .2 CEUs
120 minutes = .2 CEUs
You can receive up to 1.8 CEUs for attending the general sessions, plenary session, and other daily education sessions. Additional credit may be available for auxiliary programs.
I have a question about the Executive Edge program.
Due to space limitations and the university-level curriculum, Executive Edge is an invitation-only event. If you would like to attend but did not receive an invitation, please click here to complete a short qualifying questionnaire. Invitations to this selected program will be sent in September.
To read more about the 2008 Annual Meeting Executive Edge program, click here.
Please contact Julie Fawcett jfawcett@pcma.org or 312.423.7262 if you have questions.
