Newsroom > IH&RA Achievements- 2006

IH&RA ACHIEVEMENTS 2006

New IH&RA Members & Partners!

IH&RA is pleased to welcome over 30 new members and partners this year (2 new national hotel associations, 8 chains, 4 worldwide partners and distinguished industry supporters, over 17 new affiliate members - partner hotels and restaurants and a growing number of media partners!) Check out a roster of new and all IH&RA members on the IH&RA website. IH&RA media partners that help us deliver our message around the world can be viewed here.

Guidelines endorsed by the HSMAI (Hotel Sales & Marketing Association International Internet Marketing Committee and TIA, Travel Industry Association (www.tia.org) With the goal of protecting the integrity of the Travel Industry on the Internet and specifically consumers’ on-line experiences when researching, booking and purchasing travel, the international hotel industry, represented by the International Hotel & Restaurant Association, has published a series of Industry Guidelines and Recommendations available on the Members-Only section of the IH&RA website ih-ra.com. Forgot your password? Write to: Sarvani.vempati@ih-ra.com

How IH&RA Industry Guidelines to Protect Travel Industry Integrity were developed:

• IH&RA Global Council on E-Commerce & E-marketing was formed in 2005
• Global Council identified critical issues for IH&RA to address – on-line trademark and brand abuse being one which not only negatively impacts the hospitality industry but also the consumers and valued clients this industry aims to serve.
• After one year of work the project reaches fruition and IH&RA successfully launches "Industry Guidelines to Protect Travel Industry Integrity on the Internet" with wide industry support
• These Guidelines are formally endorsed by: TIA (Travel Industry Association of America) and the HSMAI (Hotel Sales & Marketing Association Int'l) Internet Marketing Committee and will be distributed to their respective members and IH&RA members
• The IH&RA Guidelines will be included in the “Legal Desk Reference for Online Hospitality Marketing” published in partnership with the HSMAI Foundation with endorsement from the HSMAI Internet Marketing Committee, the Travel Internet Marketing Group, and IH&RA. Cyveillance is a major sponsor. IH&RA has been invited to sit on the Editorial Advisory Board.
• Since the start of this project, IH&RA members report that advances and improvements have been made with improved protection of hotel trademarks and brands on-line resulting in transparency and accuracy for the consumer and client. Problems do still exist and IH&RA will remain vigilant.

Download the IH&RA Guidelines at the Members’ Only section!

UNEP – United Nations Environment Programme – invited IH&RA to be the exclusive hospitality industry partner in an EU tender to develop a crisis prevention and management programme, known as the APELL project, to benefit the tourism and hospitality industry. UNEP and IH&RA are delighted to announce that the EU has approved the project and has committed funding. Work is expected to run from October 2006 to March 2008 with a pilot to focus in three Tsunami-affected tourism destinations (one in India and two in Thailand). IH&RA will contribute expertise via its Global Council on Security and national associations. IH&RA’s involvement will be 100% supported by EU funding. Other partners include the Swedish Rescue Services Agency, National Safety Council of India, Patong Municipality of Phuket and Ao Nang Tambon Administration Organization on Pi-Pi Island.

Discussions are underway with the Department of Hospitality, Leisure and Tourism Management of Oxford Brookes University's Business School, to formalize their involvement in drafting the IH&RA hospitality industry guidelines for crisis and risk management and prevention. The IH&RA Global Council on Security, Crisis, formed to address safety & security issues, will support this work and has been very active since its inception in year 2005, meeting regularly by teleconference and once in person in December 2005. These Guidelines strive to raise the bar on crisis and risk management in the industry at large while also allowing independent properties or those with more restricted resources to benefit from the expertise of the major international companies, many of which are involved in the project. First draft target for the deadlines: November 2006

For 15 years, IH&RA’s Foundation for the Future has given over 200 students from developing countries an opportunity for hospitality education. Scholarships have been awarded at top hotel schools such as Cornell University, Ecole Hoteliere Lausanne, Hotel School the Hague and Johnson and Wales University. In 2005, IH&RA’s Foundation for the Future launched the First "Visiting Professor Programme," providing International Education to Hospitality Professionals in Developing Countries. The pilot programme was held in Ethiopia and Professor Alexandros Paraskevas, Senior Lecturer in Operations Management, Oxford Brookes University Business School, Department of Hospitality, Leisure & Tourism Management, was sent to lead an intensive course in hospitality management for some 16 students in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Read the testimonial from Professor Alexandros Paraskevas here.