<html><body><span style="font-family:Verdana; color:#000000; font-size:10pt;"><div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3 face=Calibri>If you have been thinking about submitting a paper for consideration to this year’s iHITA 2014 Annual Conference there is less than one week left to do so.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The submission deadline of February 28, 2014 is fast approaching.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The conference will be held this year in Los Angeles, California as a co-located conference with HITEC.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This event is a great opportunity for faculty and grad students to present their research as well as a wonderful chance to make connections with industry leaders.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>For more information please go to </FONT><A href="http://www.ihita.org/cfp"><FONT color=#0000ff size=3 face=Calibri>www.ihita.org/cfp</FONT></A><FONT size=3><FONT face=Calibri>. <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Calibri>In addition, we are pleased to announce the continued support of the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology (JHTT) as the sponsor for the iHITA Best Research Paper Award.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>More information about this publication is available on the journal’s website.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></FONT><A href="http://www.emeraldinsight.com/products/journals/journals.htm?id=jhtt"><FONT color=#0000ff size=3 face=Calibri>http://www.emeraldinsight.com/products/journals/journals.htm?id=jhtt</FONT></A><FONT size=3><FONT face=Calibri> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Calibri>If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact us and feel free to forward this to any colleagues you think may be interested.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Calibri>Thank you and we hope to see you in LA.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Calibri>Thomas Schrier<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Calibri>Vice-President, International Hospitality<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Calibri><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Information Technology Association (<a href="http://www.iHITA.org">www.iHITA.org</a>)<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Calibri><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">i</I>HITA 2014 Annual Research Conference<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></B></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" align=center><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Calibri>Sunday, June 22, 2014<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></I></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Calibri>Los Angeles Convention Center<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></B></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Calibri>Los Angeles, California, USA<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></B></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" align=center><A href="http://www.ihita.org/"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT color=#0000ff size=3 face=Calibri>http://www.ihita.org</FONT></B></A><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><o:p></o:p></B></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Calibri>The International Hospitality Information Technology Association (<I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">i</I>HITA) is a professional organization for educators, researchers and practitioners who are committed to the advancement of hospitality technology. The <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">i</I>HITA conference, the oldest research conference focusing solely on hospitality technology, is a successful forum for bringing together key players (such as educators, vendors, and researchers) of information technology in the global hospitality industry with the goal of improving the quality of education, research, and the technology itself.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">i</I>HITA conference is a co-located conference with HITEC (<a href="http://www.hitec.org">www.hitec.org</a>), the world’s largest hospitality technology show, and offers attendees the opportunity to interact with hospitality technology vendors and operators while experiencing the latest technology products and innovations at the exhibit floor.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Calibri>The applicable research domain of papers submitted to the conference should be considered for wide interpretation by researchers as there is clear interest across all pertinent aspects of the hospitality, travel and tourism academic domain.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Calibri>If you are unsure about a topic for submission please contact the conference chair, <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Calibri>Dr. Thomas Schrier, <a href="mailto:schriert@iastate.edu">schriert@iastate.edu</a><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Calibri>KEY DATES:<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Calibri>November 1, 2013: Online submission system opens at <a href="http://www.ihita.org/submit">www.ihita.org/submit</a><o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Calibri>February 28, 2014 @ 11:59 PM (PST): Submissions due <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Calibri>April 1, 2014: Notification with reviewer comments<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Calibri>May 9, 2014 @ 11:59 PM (PST): Revised final submission for inclusion in the conference proceedings due –via <a href="http://www.ihita.org/submit">www.ihita.org/submit</a><o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3 face=Calibri>All details of the conference, including author guidelines and submission information are available on the iHITA website at </FONT><A href="http://www.ihita.org/cfp"><FONT color=#0000ff size=3 face=Calibri>www.ihita.org/cfp</FONT></A><FONT size=3><FONT face=Calibri> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
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