Hundreds of vacation rental professionals will gather for more than 50 sessions and events to celebrate, educate, and empower women in the vacation rental industry.
The vacation rental industry’s first ever women-focused event, the Vacation Rental Women’s Summit, is coming to The Ritz-Carlton hotel in New Orleans February 19 – 20. Presented by VRM Intel Magazine and the Vacation Rental Management Association (VRMA), the summit will host 500 professionals for two days and more than 50 educational sessions, plus keynotes from world-known figures like author Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat, Pray, Love) and Lady Carnarvon, countess and guardian of Highclere Castle, the real-life Downton Abbey.
“Our objective for this event is to bring the smartest and most influential women in the vacation rental industry together to inspire and empower attendees, encourage a sense of community, and discuss high-level topics specific to this unique audience,” said Amy Hinote, founder, VRM Intel. “We will also be offering opportunities for creativity, innovation, and discussion that have the potential to dramatically change the trajectory of our businesses; and we will be celebrating the pioneering women who helped build the vacation rental industry into the force that it is today.”
“At VRMA, we recognize that the vacation rental industry is being led by women in many destinations and in all facets of the business. Our association values education and networking, so it is a natural next step for us to sponsor the Women’s Summit,” said Jodi Refosco, president of VRMA and owner of Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations and Sales. “Now more than ever, it is important that we support events that speak to the unique challenges we all face as well as recognize the many accomplishments of our peers and colleagues. Our goal is to contribute to a professional environment where women feel empowered and inspired in a way that moves our industry forward.”
Keynote speakers will include Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat Pray Love and Big Magic; Lady Carnarvon, the Eighth Countess of Carnarvon and guardian of Highclere Castle – the real-life setting for Masterpiece’s Downton Abbey; Tina Weyand, CPO of HomeAway; and Mary Lynn Clark, president of Wyndham Vacation Rentals.
Sessions and presentations will cover the art of delegating, leadership, funding, change management, diversity, interviews with successful CEOs and entrepreneurs, building an influential executive presence, disruptive versus traditional models, navigating risk and competition, mentoring and coaching a winning team, hospitality and customer service, technology, balancing data with intuition, work–life balance, conflict management, and more.
The event will also feature two dozen hands-on workshops, peer group discussions, and focus groups, as well as an awards series to honor the pioneering women who helped build the vacation rental industry.
“VRM Intel is the leading source for information about the vacation rental industry, bar none, and the Women’s Summit has quickly become the must-attend conference of the year! We wouldn’t miss it,” said Claire Reiswerg, owner of Sand N’ Sea Properties in Galveston, TX.
Themed networking events will celebrate New Orleans culture and the keynote speakers, including a Downton Abbey-inspired High Tea sponsored by HomeAway, a French Quarter Brunch sponsored by Kigo, and the Mardi Gras Cocktail Party sponsored by Red Sky Travel Insurance.
Additional sponsors include Breezeway, CBIZ, Ascent Processing, Bluetent, CiiRUS, CSA/Generali, ICND, Key Data, Rentals United, Rented.com, Streamline, TruPlace, Weatherby Consulting, and Yapstone.
Registration is open at VacationRentalWomen.com until February 17 or until tickets run out. Registration costs $849 per person.
About VRM Intel Magazine
Founded by Amy Hinote in 2012, VRM Intel was created as a tool for the fast-growing and rapidly-evolving vacation rental industry. Its mission is to provide relevant industry-specific news, information, and resources to help professionals build their businesses, to address the challenges and opportunities facing the industry, and to positively contribute to the vacation rental ecosystem.
In October of 2016, it launched VRM Intel Magazine, a quarterly publication mailed to thousands of vacation rental professionals. The magazine contains articles written by industry experts addressing property care, marketing, technology, human resources, revenue management, owner relations, guest services, and regulations. Later that year, the company launched VRM Intel Live!, a series of regional events that brings together industry thought leaders and local vacation rental providers. VRM Intel Live! has visited Wilmington, Destin, Outer Banks, Portland, Denver, Gatlinburg, Orange Beach, London, and Breckenridge.
About VRMA
Founded in 1985, the Vacation Rental Management Association (VRMA) provides best-in-class education, networking, and professional development opportunities to make a difference for vacation rental management companies. VRMA works worldwide on behalf of our manager and supplier members to advance the vacation rental industry through education, information, networking, research, and advocacy.
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