Austin, TX, USA (May 20, 2013) — It has been announced that initial discussions are underway between HOSPA (Hospitality Professionals Association for Finance, Revenue Management and IT) and its strategic partner U.S.–based HFTP (Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals) for expanding HOSPACE – Europe’s leading annual conference, exhibition and networking event for hospitality finance, revenue management, IT and commercial professionals.

Commenting on the potential expansion of HOSPACE, HOSPA chairman Paul Dukes – also chairman at Kew Green Hotels – said: “We are delighted to be conducting initial discussions with HFTP – our strategic partners since 2007 – to agree the terms to further our existing strategic alliance and to take HOSPA’s increasingly popular and rapidly growing annual HOSPACE Conference and Exhibition to the next stage of its development.”

HOSPA Chief Executive Carl Weldon added: “We enjoy a terrifically strong and greatly valued strategic alliance with HFTP – producers of HITEC (Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference), the world’s largest hospitality technology show. We believe that HOSPACE is ready for the next stage in its evolution; and there is a fantastic opportunity here for both HOSPA and HFTP – with our shared synergies, resources and objectives – to work even closer together to make HOSPACE one of the world’s leading hospitality conference, exhibition and networking events.”

For his part Frank Wolfe, CAE, HFTP chief executive officer, said: “This is a tremendous opportunity for us. As HFTP expanded around the world, we were fortunate to be able to develop a terrific alliance with HOSPA and share resources rather than compete against each other. It has long been our goal to expand our resources where they will do the most good. By both HOSPA and HFTP combining forces to make a very successful networking and exhibition event into a larger successful networking event, it allows HFTP to help service our members in the UK whilst enabling HOSPA to make HOSPACE an even more prestigious and influential occasion.”

The strategic alliance between HOSPA and HFTP was formed in 2007 and it is hoped that the further strengthening of the strategic alliance will allow both organisations to share resources and success in an even greater capacity. These synergies already help HOSPA’s and HFTP’s respective members to have further access to quality education, networking and certification programs.

Currently, HOSPA is also assisting HFTP with its Global Hospitality Accounting Systems Common Practices (GHASP) project, to identify common hotel accounting practices in several regions of the world.

About 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.

About HOSPA
HOSPA (‘Hospitality Professionals Association’ for Finance, Revenue Management and IT) is a non-profit educational organisation which has evolved from BAHA (British Association of Hospitality Accountants) which was formed in 1969.  The aim of HOSPA is to bring together those hospitality industry professionals involved in Financial Management, Revenue Management and IT. Whereas BAHA has been recognised as the UK’s authoritative voice in the hospitality industry on financial management, technical accounting issues, taxation, and hotel valuation, HOSPA now is additionally the leading arena for debate on hotel systems and Revenue Management topics through their annual Conference and meetings programmes. The membership has expanded to over 1,000 members. HOSPA – which has provided an industry specific, hospitality focused programme in Financial Management for over 23 years – has just introduced similar programmes for Revenue Management and IT. For more information, visit:www.hospa.org