StarCite Partners With Acclaim Meetings, Courts Independent Planners

Meetings technology provider StarCite has partnered with meetings and marketing organization Acclaim Meetings in order to fully automate meeting planning and procurement for Acclaim's network of independent meeting planners and travel agents.

Using StarCite's Web-based meetings management solutions, Acclaim—which claims to be "the first and only marketing organization dedicated exclusively to the meeting and events business"—will empower its member meeting planners with tools they can use to source venues, market their events and manage their attendees.

"Together with Acclaim Meetings, we are helping independent planners and agents provide an even better client experience and bringing a rich new source of meetings business to the suppliers in our marketplace," StarCite CEO Greg Dukat said in a statement. "By lowering costs, saving time and providing more data to increase control and accuracy, this partnership will support planners in delivering a higher return on investment for each and every meeting they manage."

Powered by StarCite, Acclaim's meeting management platform, AcclaimCite, will allow planners to design fully-branded event Web sites, capture attendee data and information, and digitize the RFP process.

"This agreement gives independent planners and agents unprecedented access to a technology platform that will reduce costs for their clients, facilitate better customer service and increase efficiency in every aspect of the planning process," said Acclaim Meetings Executive Vice President Anne Marie Moebes. "Only StarCite can provide the cost-savings that comes from an online marketplace unmatched in size and scope, combined with battle-tested technology that streamlines every element of meetings planning."

In separate news, StarCite also has announced a partnership with Valorem Group, which serves as a "national sales office" for more than 180 hotels, DMCs and CVBs nationwide. Under the terms of that partnership, StarCite will expand its global supplier network to encompass Valorem Group destinations and properties, while Valorem Group will work with StarCite to increase marketing and sales efforts for the rest of its global supplier network.