Team

Our History

HOTREC, originally known as the Liaison Committee of the Hotel and Catering Industry of the European Economic Community, was established in 1979. Initially, it operated as a division of the International Hotel Association, situated in Paris.

In 1981, the organization underwent a name change to the Committee of the Hotel and Restaurant Industry in the European Community, subsequently adopting the acronym HOTREC. The transition continued in 1982 when HOTREC transformed into an association governed by French law.

In a significant development in 1991, HOTREC relocated its headquarters from Paris to Brussels, and three years later, in 1994, it obtained international association status under Belgian law.

General Assembly

The General Assembly serves as HOTREC's highest decision-making body, gathering representatives from all member associations. It convenes twice a year and generally takes decisions by consensus.

Its key responsibilities include:

Reviewing and approving applications for membership and observer status.
Conducting elections for the HOTREC President and other members of the Executive Committee.
Endorsing the annual accounts and establishing the budget.
Amending the association's statutes and bye-laws.
Adopting HOTREC's position papers.

The hosting of the General Assembly rotates among member associations according to a predetermined schedule.

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee comprises eleven members who are elected by the General Assembly to serve a two-year term. The committee is led by the HOTREC President and holds the authority to make decisions on pertinent matters. The HOTREC Director General is responsible for preparing and attending all committee meetings.

The current Executive Committee was elected in October 2022 for the term of 2023-2025, and its composition is as follows:

Alexandros Vassilikos | HOTREC President | Greece
Morten Thorvaldsen | HOTREC Vice President | Norway
Adrian Cummins | HOTREC Treasurer | Ireland
Alexandre Archier | Member | France
Dirk Beljaarts | Member | Netherlands
Alessandro Cavaliere | Member | Italy
Ramón Estalella Halffter | Member | Spain
Elisabeth Haglund | Member | Sweden
Markus Luthe | Member | Germany
Maria Schreiner | Member | Austria
Ludo Geurden | Member | Belgium
Joan Gaspart | Observer | Spain

The Secretariat, located in Brussels, is responsible for the daily management of the association and its operations. Working closely with the President, the Executive Committee, and member associations, the Secretariat ensures its effective coordination.

The Director General provides oversight of the Secretariat's activities.