Hotel Booking Scams: Warning Issued by GeoAmericas 2016

GeoAmericas2016_LowesHotel_450wMany conferences are targeted by hotel booking scams and room resellers who are not associated with the event. These non-sanctioned buyers convince potential attendees that rooms are selling out and that they hold the last few available rooms.  They sell rooms at rates well-above the conference rate and often tack on hidden fees and expensive cancellation policies. Conference organizers and host hotels watch for these scams. Once problems are discovered, warnings are sent out.

GeoAmericas 2016, the 3rd Pan-American Conference on Geosynthetics, alerted exhibitors yesterday that at least two known groups, unaffiliated with GeoAmericas, are targeting event exhibitors right now.

All exhibitor and sponsor companies, exhibitor personnel, and attendees are reminded that there are only two ways to officially book rooms for GeoAmericas 2016:

The Loews Miami Beach Hotel is the official hotel for GeoAmericas 2016. It is the site for all conference activities. Hotel Rooms are available now. While some of the pre-conference and post-conference nights are filling quickly, hundreds of rooms are still available during the event.

WARNINGS & REMINDERS

  • The Loews and GeoAmericas do NOT call exhibitors (or attendees) for the purpose of booking sleeping rooms.  NO service providers are sanctioned to either.
  • Do NOT give out your credit card number to any caller claiming to be holding rooms for you at GeoAmericas 2016.
  • Do NOT accept a caller claiming that the Loews is sold out. PLEASE KNOW that rooms are available at the Loews. Rooms have even been added.