Unfortunately, it is now common practice for unauthorized companies to claim to be official housing providers for trade shows and other large events, including Metalcasting Congress and CastExpo. Usually called “room poachers,” these companies target exhibitors and attendees with aggressive emails or phone calls claiming to offer supposed discounts on hotel rooms or incorrectly stating that room blocks are nearing or at capacity. Please note the American Foundry Society, Metalcasting Congress and CastExpo ARE NOT affiliated with third-party travel agents, wholesalers or other outside agencies claiming to offer hotel reservations.
To book a hotel for an AFS event, exhibitors and attendees should use the resources provided to them at AFSinc.org or through other official AFS communications. AFS works directly with hotels to reserve rooms that are conveniently located and meet our quality standards. In exchange for booking large room blocks, hotels offer reservations at a discount, and AFS also receives other considerations that in turn benefit our exhibitors and attendees.
If you receive an email or other communication from a company you suspect is unaffiliated with AFS or its events, please contact us.
How room poaching works (or doesn’t)
“Poaching” is carried out by third parties that seek out major conventions and trade shows and solicit hotel reservations from people or businesses they expect to attend. Often, these solicitations include scare tactics intended to make people believe hotels are sold out many months in advance.
Unfortunately, booking a room through a poacher can lead to outrageously costly cancellation fees, bad accommodations far from the event site, or, worst of all, being charged for a room that hasn’t been reserved at all.
Unaffiliated companies
The following companies ARE NOT affiliated with the American Foundry Society, Metalcasting Congress or CastExpo. Please note, this is not a comprehensive list, and it is routinely updated.
- Corporate Booking Services – CBS International
- Global EXPO LIST
- Global Housing Services, Corp.
- Prodataleads.com
- Travel Group Partners / TGP Marketing Corp.
Let us know
Our exhibitors and attendees frequently help us by alerting us to illegitimate hotel offers. Again, if you receive an email or other communication from a company you suspect is unaffiliated with AFS or its events, please contact us.