WHICH ORGANIZATIONS ARE TARGETED?

These can be divided into two categories, one comprising organizations representing public sector interests, the other those representing (and defending) private sector interests.

To fulfill its advocacy role, IH&RA monitors the work of intergovernmental organizations whose area of competence covers or relates in some way to the hospitality and wider tourism industry. Most of these are agencies in the United Nations system, although a few, such as the Organization for Economic Co-operation & Development (OECD) are not. The Members of these organizations are nations belonging to the United Nations. Government representatives participating in the work of these organizations represent the public sector.

Inter-governmental agencies targeted by IH&RA include the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) specifically devoted to tourism, and other organisations dealing regularly or intermittently with tourism and hospitality-related issues, such as the United Nations (UN), the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), the World Health Organisation (WHO), the International Labour Office (ILO), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP - among others.

Private sector
Given the horizontal nature of the travel and tourism industry, cooperation with related private sector industry organizations is essential to understanding and influencing the various factors determining the harmonious and successful development of tourism in the years ahead. The future of the hospitality industry cannot be separated from that of the wider tourism industry.

IH&RA seeks to work closely with organizations pursuing similar aims in given areas. Such cooperation is considered beneficial to its members, in the interest of good business practice and essential in gaining recognition for the hospitality industry both in terms of image and economic importance. Leveraging support from private sector industry organizations on issues of common concern reinforces IH&RA’s advocacy position at the international level.

Private-sector organisation involved in Travel & Tourism/Hospitality can be divided into the following categories:

• International trade associations (representing a specific sector of the tourism industry) such as the Universal Federation of Travel Agents’ Associations (UFTAA) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA), among others;
• Umbrella organisations , such as the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), representing major international private sector tourism interests
• Regional organisations , such as Hotels, Restaurants & Cafés in Europe (HOTREC) representing national hotel and/or restaurant associations in the European Union, or the Pacific Asia Tourism Association (PATA) representing all the tourism partners of a specific region;
• Issue-based organisations such as the Hotel Electronic Distribution Network Association (HEDNA) solely concerned with electronic distribution matters impacting the hotel industry, or ECPAT (End Child Prostitution and Trafficking) created to combat the commercial sexual exploitation of children.