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Association Update |
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American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) Serving the hospitality industry for nearly a century, AH&LA is the sole national association representing all sectors and stakeholders in the lodging industry, including individual hotel property members, hotel companies, student and faculty members, and industry suppliers. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., AH&LA provides members with national advocacy on Capitol Hill, public relations and image management, education, research and information, and other value-added services to provide bottom line savings and ensure a positive business climate for the lodging industry. Partner state associations provide local representation and additional cost-saving benefits to members.
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Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) HSMAI is the leading organization of sales and marketing professionals representing all segments of the hospitality industry. With a strong focus on education, HSMAI has become the industry leader in identifying and communicating trends in the hospitality industry while operating as a leading voice for both hospitality and sales and marketing management disciplines. Members can access a wide variety of educational tools and enhance their skills and expertise to increase business and enrich their careers. Founded in 1927, HSMAI is an individual membership organization comprised of over 5,000 members representing 65 chapters in 35 countries worldwide.
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Hospitality Financial Technology Professionals (HFTP)
HFTP, Austin, Texas, USA and Maastricht, The Netherlands, founded in 1952, is the global professional association for financial and technology personnel working in hotels, clubs and other hospitality-related businesses. HFTP provides first class educational opportunities, research, and publications to more than 4,800 members globally including, the premiere hospitality technology conference HITEC--founded in 1972. HFTP also awards the only hospitality specific certifications for accounting and technology --the Certified Hospitality Accountant Executive (CHAE) and the Certified Hospitality Technology Professional (CHTP) designations. HFTP was founded in the USA as the National Association of Hotel Accountants. For more information, visit www.hftp.org.
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International Hotel & Restaurant Association (IH&RA) Founded in 1946 in Paris, France and move to Geneva, Switzerland as of January 2008. The IH&RA is the only business organisation 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.
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Hotel Electronic Distribution Network Association (HEDNA) The Hotel Electronic Distribution Network Association (HEDNA) is a not-for-profit trade association whose worldwide membership includes over 200 of the most influential companies in the hotel distribution industry. All of HEDNA's activities are intended to stimulate hotel bookings through the use of Global Distribution Systems (GDSs), the Internet and other electronic means.
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National Business Travel Association (NBTA) The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) is the world’s premier business travel organization. U.S.-based NBTA and its regional subsidiaries – NBTA Asia Pacific, NBTA Canada and NBTA Mexico – serve more than 3,200 members in 30 nations around the globe. NBTA has 41 U.S. Chapters with more than 5,000 members. NBTA members are corporate and government travel and meetings managers, as well as travel service providers, who collectively manage and direct more than US$170 billion of global business travel expenditures annually. The association provides industry-leading networking, education & professional development, research, news & information, and advocacy.
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Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA) The Caribbean Hotel Association is dedicated to excellence in hospitality, leadership in marketing, and sustainable growth in tourism, to the benefit of its membership and that of the wider Caribbean community. The members of CHA represent the entire spectrum of hospitality industry’s private sector, from over 1,100 member hotels in 35 national hotel associations, to allied members including airline executives, tour operators, travel agents, trade and consumer press, hotel and restaurant suppliers, and others.
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National Restaurant Association The National Restaurant Association (NRA), founded in 1919, is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which is comprised of 878,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a work force of 12 million employees - makeing it the cornerstone of the economy, career opportunities, and community involvement. Along with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundations, the Association works to represent, educate and promote the rapidly growing industry. For more information, visit our Web site at www.restaurant.org.
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Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Founded in 1951, the Pacific Asia Travel Association is the recognised authority on Pacific Asia travel and tourism. By dedicating itself to the promotion of this last remaining tourism frontier, PATA's uniquely structured organisation and its far-reaching efforts have helped unite the many facets of tourism in the region. PATA provides leadership to the collective efforts of 41 national government members, 48 state and local tourism bodies, 66 airlines and cruise lines -- all in all, nearly 2,000 travel industry companies. Our members also include companies that provide a wide range of services to the travel industry. PATA's Chapter membership includes 17,000 travel professionals in 80+ PATA Chapters located throughout the world.
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U.S. Travel Association (USTA) Previously the Travel Industry Association, the U.S. Travel Association is the national, non-profit organization representing all components of the $740 billion travel industry. U.S. Travel’s mission is to promote and facilitate increased travel to and within the United States. U.S. Travel is proud to be a partner in travel with American Express.
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United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO/OMT) is a specialized agency of the United Nations and the leading international organization in the field of tourism. It serves as a global forum for tourism policy issues and a practical source of tourism know-how. UNWTO plays a central and decisive role in promoting the development of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism, paying particular attention to the interests of developing countries. The Organization encourages the implementation of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, with a view to ensuring that member countries, tourist destinations and businesses maximize the positive economic, social and cultural effects of tourism and fully reap its benefits, while minimizing its negative social and environmental impacts. Its membership includes 160 countries and territories and more than 350 Affiliate Members representing the private sector, educational institutions, tourism associations and local tourism authorities. Direct actions that strengthen and support the efforts of National Tourism Administrations are carried out by UNWTO's regional representatives (Africa, the Americas, East Asia and the Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and South Asia) based at the Headquarters in Madrid. UNWTO is committed to the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, geared toward reducing poverty and fostering sustainable development.
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World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) is the forum for global business leaders in travel and tourism. Its members are chairmen and chief executive officers from 100 of the industry’s foremost companies including airlines and other passenger transport, hospitality, manufacturing, entertainment, tour operators, car rental and other travel related services. WTTC, founded in 1990, is run by its President, Jean-Claude Baumgarten, and Chairman, Sir Ian Prosser, Chairman of Six Continents PLC. WTTC policies are set by an Executive Committee and implemented by a staff at its London headquarters. WTTC undertakes extensive annual macro-economic research, which estimates the potential financial and economic impact of Travel & Tourism.
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American Resort Development Association (ARDA) The American Resort Development Association (ARDA) is the Washington, D.C.-based trade association representing the vacation ownership and resort development industries. Established in 1969 as the American Land Development Association, ARDA today has close to 1000 members, ranging from privately held companies to major corporations, in the U.S. and overseas. ARDA's diverse membership includes companies with interests in vacation ownership resorts, community development, fractional ownership, camp resorts, land development, lot sales, second homes and resort communities. Members range from small, privately held firms to publicly traded companies and international corporations.
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Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) The Asian American Hotel Owners Association ("AAHOA") is THE voice of owners in the hospitality industry. Founded in 1989, AAHOA is now one of the fastest-growing organizations in the industry, with over 8,800 members owning more than 22,000 hotels that total $60 billion in property value. AAHOA officers include Chairman Ashwin "Ash" Patel, Vice Chairman Tarun Patel, Secretary ChandraKant "C.K." Patel, Treasurer Hemant D. Patel, and President Fred Schwartz, who work closely with a 31-member board of directors to provide direction for the association. AAHOA is dedicated to promoting and protecting the interests of its members by inspiring excellence through programs and initiatives in advocacy, industry leadership, professional development, member benefits, and community involvement. For more information visit www.aahoa.com.
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The Institute of Hospitality (formerly HCIMA) The Institute of Hospitality was launched on 2 April 2007 and is the new name for the Hotel & Catering International Management Association (HCIMA). The Institute of Hospitality represents professional managers in the hospitality, leisure and tourism industries and has a worldwide membership with members represented in all sectors of the industry including hotels, contract catering , restaurants, pubs and clubs, as well as leisure outlets, theme parks and sports venues. The Institute of Hospitality is managed as an educational charity, and exists to benefit its members in their career and professional development, as well as continuing to improve industry sector standards.
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OpenTravel Alliance The OpenTravel Alliance is passionate about solving the problems inherent with connecting multiple systems within the complex travel distribution arena. OpenTravel's mission is to engineer specifications that make data transmission flow smoothly throughout travel, tourism and hospitality. OpenTravel creates, expands and drives adoption of open universal data specifications, including but not limited to the use of XML, for the electronic exchange of business information among all sectors of the travel industry.
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British Association of Hospitality Accountants (BAHA) The British Association of Hospitality Accountants (BAHA) was formed in 1969 with the aim of bringing together those professionals who were involved in financial management and control within the hotel industry. Since inception the membership has expanded to include systems specialists, hospitality consultants and accountants, bankers, investment analysts, property professionals, academics and others who retain an interest in the hotel, catering and leisure sectors.
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Hotel Technology - Next Generation (HTNG) Hotel Technology Next Generation is a global trade association that fosters, through collaboration and partnership among hoteliers and technology providers, the development of next-generation solutions that will enable them to do business globally in the 21st century. HTNG is wholly funded by its members, whose Board of Directors has established this mission for HTNG: To foster, through collaboration and partnership, the development of next-generation systems and solutions that will enable hoteliers and their technology vendors to do business globally in the 21st century.To be recognized as a leading voice of the global hotel community, articulating the technology requirements of hotel companies of all sizes to the vendor community.To facilitate the development of technology models for hospitality that will foster innovation, improve the guest experience, increase the effectiveness and efficiency of hotels, and create a healthy ecosystem of technology suppliers. HTNG's membership spans more than 400 organizations and individual industry partners that work together to achieve this mission. The success of HTNG on these goals to date has allowed cooperating vendors to more easily integrate their products; enabled service providers to more easily integrate, deploy and support technology products from multiple vendors; and allowed vendors and hoteliers to focus more of their R&D resources on innovation to drive competitive advantage, and less on "commodity" technologies.
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Association of Travel Marketing Executives (ATME) The Association of Travel Marketing Executives (ATME), established in 1980, is a non-profit, professional association made up of experienced and innovative travel industry marketers representing all segments including: airlines; hotels and resorts; cruise lines; tour operators; online travel companies and initiatives; CVB’s; local, state, and international tourist offices; car rental companies; technology and marketing solution providers (ad, marketing, pr agencies, database, crm companies); and media executives.
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ASFONA - Association of Starwood Franchisees & Owners – North America The mandate of ASFONA is to provide an effective line of communication between Starwood and its franchisees, owners and hotel management companies doing business in North America. The association provides Starwood the opportunity to seek the council and opinion of the franchise and ownership community on policy and standard operating procedures that can influence the owners’ businesses and the cost of doing business.
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Boutique & Lifestyle Lodging Association (BLLA) BLLA was created to be the unifying voice of this unique sector within the hospitality industry. It will be the "One Place" to find and book all boutique & lifestyle hotels for the consumer as well as for the agency community. By pooling resources, independent owners and groups have the opportunity to successfully compete on a level playing field with major hotel companies, and market themselves to meet the ever-increasing demand from discerning boutique-seeking clients.
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Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) The Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) represents the global business travel industry through its international advocacy efforts, executive level educational programs, and independent industry research. ACTE's membership consists of senior travel industry executives from 82 countries representing the €200 billion business travel industry. With the support of sponsors from every major segment of the business travel industry, ACTE develops and delivers educational programs in key business centers throughout the world. ACTE has offices in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Canada, Europe, Latin America, Middle East and the United States.
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Hispanic Hotel Owners Association (HHOA) Hispanic Hotel Owners is a new association of lodging properties and companies throughout the United States, Mexico, Central and South America. Members are represented by HHOA at the national and international level, which provide many additional cost-saving benefits. HHOA is a growing organization that is founded and staffed with experienced travel, tourism, destination, and hotel executives. Ensuring a positive business climate for hoteliers, HHOA will provide advocacy on Capitol Hill, education, marketing, information, and bottom-line benefits.
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International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC) The International Society of Hospitality Consultants, ISHC, is a professional society of 200 members in 22 countries who are leading consultants in the hospitality industry. The Society is dedicated to promoting the highest quality of professional consulting standards and practices for the hospitality industry. Membership is by invitation only. ISHC as an organization represents a one of a kind collection of experience and expertise in the hospitality industry. ISHC members have expertise in over 30 different specialty areas in the hospitality industry and collectively have experience with over 50 hotel companies and nearly 100 brands worldwide. Additionally, ISHC members represent numerous prominent independent hotels throughout the world. ISHC members' clients include domestic and international, public and private hotel owners and investors, many leading financial institutions, Fortune 500 companies, food and beverage service firms, airlines, cruise lines, time share and vacation ownership companies, universities, state, national and international convention, hospitality travel and tourism bureaus.
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Council of Hotel and Restaurant Trainers (CHART) CHART, a non-profit professional association founded in 1970, is the leading resource for the development and advancement of hospitality training professionals. With more than 700 members from more than 400 multi-unit restaurant and hotel companies, CHART represents a workforce of almost five million. CHART includes all facets of hospitality training, learning and performance professionals; from entry level to senior executive. CHART’s mission is to develop hospitality training professionals to advance industry training practices and improve operational results by providing access to education, tools and resources.
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California Hotel & Lodging Association (CH&LA) The California Hotel & Lodging Association, with more than 1,550 members representing more than 182,000 guestrooms, is the largest and most influential state lodging trade association in the world. CH&LA‘s history of service to California’s lodging industry reaches back one hundred six years. The California Hotel Association was organized on November 15, 1893, for the purposes of actively representing the interests and furthering the prestige of the state’s burgeoning hotel industry.
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