Tag: travel scams

Update Concerning Lodging, Travel Reservations

Every year at about this time, unscrupulous poachers emerge. These poachers are hotel or third-party housing agencies unaffiliated with the SHOT Show and can be very tricky in the way they present themselves. That’s why we caution all SHOT Show attendees and exhibitors to be wary of third-party services when booking your rooms for the show. In past years, we heard reports of hotel room resellers taking payment from SHOT Show attendees and exhibitors without actually booking the rooms, leaving attendees without a place to lay their head in Las Vegas.

In fact, we’ve received word that several companies, including Exhibitor Housing Services (EHS), Room Connections and Wholesale Travel Planners, are all fraudulently soliciting SHOT Show attendees.

The SHOT Show provides two sources for special hotel room opportunities; one is direct with the Venetian/Palazzo, and the other is through onPeak, the official housing partner of the SHOT Show and the service provider directly linked to the SHOT Show website for all hotels besides the Venetian/Palazzo.

Booking with onPeak or Venetian/Palazzo guarantees you a room and guarantees you room rate protection.  So you never have to worry about having a room or paying too much for it.

The Venetian/Palazzo and onPeak are the only two entities authorized to contact SHOT attendees regarding hotel rooms, and the SHOT Show requires each communication to be pre-approved and branded with the official SHOT Show logo. Do not respond to any other related communication you may receive.

We want you to have a great experience at the 2014 SHOT Show and the surest way to start down that path is to apply for your credentials and book your rooms early. If you are booking a block of more than 20 rooms, onPeak can help you manage that efficiently.

Diedra Cauley is the senior director of exhibitions and conferences for the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Follow her on Twitter at @dcauley.

Arrest Made in SHOT Show Room-Reservation Scam

NSSF has learned that last week the Nevada Attorney General’s Office arrested an individual for allegedly running a hotel room reservation scam on unsuspecting SHOT Show exhibitors and attendees.

According to the Attorney General’s press release, Todd Harrington, through his company HDMC Group LLC, entered into agreements with several businesses between March and December 2010 to secure hotels rooms for various trade shows, including SHOT Show, but allegedly never made the hotel reservations as promised leaving these businesses out a significant amount of money and without a place to stay.

NSSF applauds the Nevada Attorney General’s Office for its actions in protecting tradeshows and their visitors. The SHOT Show continues to remind its exhibitors and attendees to exercise caution when dealing with unofficial third-party travel companies and housing providers.

Deals that sound too good to be true likely are. For peace of mind and easy access to the 2012 SHOT Show, book your hotel rooms with the show’s headquarter hotels — The Venetian and The Palazzo Hotels — directly through the SHOT Show website or by calling 866-587-4708 or 702-414-4100 (International).

Alternatively, exhibitors and attendees can book rooms through the show’s official hotel and travel partner onPeak online or by calling 800-388-8104 or 312-527-7300 (International) for the lowest guaranteed room rates at other area hotels risk-free.

Be Wary of Third-Party Hotel Scams

As a caution to all SHOT Show attendees and exhibitors, please be wary of third-party services when booking your rooms for the show. Not booking through the SHOT Show Housing Bureau or directly through the hotel can be risky.

Last year, we received reports that at least one hotel room reseller had taken payment from SHOT Show attendees and exhibitors without actually booking the rooms.

The safest way to make your reservations is through the SHOT Show website or by booking directly with your desired hotel.

And, if you haven’t already done so, now is the time to book your rooms! We look forward to seeing everyone in Las Vegas in January.