47th Annual IH&RA Congress in Belgrade, Serbia
Published: January 16, 2010 | Source: Belgradenet.com | Share / Bookmark
The International Hotel and Restaurant Association 47th Annual Congress will be held during 18-21 January 2010, at the Continental Hotel in Belgrade, Serbia.
With the start of the new decade, IH&RA will host an event that highlights the future of the hospitality industry. Belgrade, Serbia perfectly embodies this year’s theme of looking towards the future for opportunities of growth and development.
Leaders from all parts of the world representing some 200,000 hotels and 6 million restaurants will convene to exchange ideas about the major issues of this year: Climate Change and Hospitality, Natural Disaster and Hospitality, International Standardization for Hotels and Restaurants, Exploitation of Children in Tourism, Free Migration of Labor between Countries in Hospitality Field, and importantly Emeraude Hoteliers (IH&RA’s prestigious recognition of hotels that practice sustainable hospitality). The participants hail from hotel/restaurant chains, independent hotels/restaurants, national hotel/restaurant associations, and providers and supporters of the industry. They will propose – and ideally accept – solutions that will benefit society, the environment, and the hotels and restaurants themselves.
IH&RA was founded in 1946 and is the only global business organization representing the hospitality industry worldwide. Its members are national hotel and restaurant associations throughout the world, and international and national hotel and restaurant chains representing some 50 brands. Officially recognised by the United Nations, IH&RA monitors and lobbies all international agencies on behalf of this industry, estimated to comprise 300'000 hotels and 8 million restaurants, employ 60 million people and contribute 950 billion USD annually to the global economy.