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Paris, 18 January 1999 � Expanding partnerships, building
membership and increasing industry educational opportunities are top priorities
for the new president of the International Hotel & Restaurant Association
(IH&RA), Dr. Osmane Aïdi, who took office on 1 January 1999.
Former IH&RA Regional Vice President for the Middle East and the Arab World, Dr. Aïdi is also President of the Euro-Mediterranean Tourism Organisation, and of the Inter-Arab Union of Hotels and Tourism. He is chairman and member of the board of directors of a number of leading hotel and tourism companies in Europe, USA and the Middle East, including the Royal Monceau Group in France, the Plaza in Houston and the Cham Palace & Hotel chain in Syria. �The IH&RA is a collaborative organisation, and delivers its programmes
through partnership with a wide range of international and regional bodies,�
said Aïdi. �One of my goals this year will be to forge new partnerships
and expand existing ones with key representatives of the
Dr. Aïdi also aims to strengthen the IH&RA�s services for the restaurant sector. �Since extending our services to restaurants in 1997, we have focused on building products that respond to the needs of food service establishments. This will be continued, with the aim of boosting restaurant membership long-term.� Dr. Aïdi is also keen for the IH&RA to build its "Visioning the Future" programme, which drives forward research on the future of the hospitality business. Commenting on the programme�s �visioning workshops� and think-tanks, events which debate the global issues and trends impacting hotels and restaurants, Aïdi said, �Nowhere else do industry experts have the chance to come together, on neutral ground, to map out the industry�s future.� Findings from meetings will be distributed to members as a means of encouraging them to think more strategically about the industry�s future. He will also emphasise the importance to the industry of seizing the potential of new technologies, one of the missions of EURHOTEC, the IH&RA�s annual hospitality technology exhibition and conference. EURHOTEC �99 convenes from 24-26 February at the Austria Center, Vienna. In addition, Aïdi intends to highlight the importance of human resources, focusing on education, training and job enrichment in the industry. The theme will occupy centre stage at the forthcoming IH&RA Annual Congress in Durban, 17-21 October 1999. As president, he will ensure the association�s events continue to gain in quality and scope, and to represent an invaluable source of information for hotels and restaurants interested in achieving better bottom line results. Dr. Aïdi takes over from Eric Pfeffer, chairman & CEO of Cendant
Hotel Division. He will be supported in his task by Alain-Philippe
Feutré, president of the Syndicat Français de l�Hôtellerie
and former IH&RA regional vice-president for Europe.
The right place, the right people, the right time... EURHOTEC '99, 24-26
February 1999, Austria Center, Vienna Being the premier hospitality and
technology show in Europe, EURHOTEC attracts all the right people. In fact,
this will be our biggest show yet, with over 1500 key decision makers in
the industry travelling in from Europe and all over the world. For visitor
information, contact Lucy O'Reilly at [email protected] or Veronika Pillet
at [email protected] for exhibitor information and sponsorship opportunities.
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Also See: | Eurhotec '99 to Take a Look at Technology Beyond the Year 2000 / Oct 1998 |
IH&RA Congress Assesses Impact for Hotels of New Marketing Revolution / Nov 1998 | |
IH&RA Annual Congress / Summary of Business Sessions / Oct 22-26, 1998 / Manila/ Nov 1998 | |
IH&RA Campaign Helps Hospitality Businesses Beat the Millennium Bug / Oct 1998 | |
Impact of Asian Crisis Highlighted at IH&RA Congress in Manila / Nov 1998 |