/ HOTREC expands its membership in Georgia, Poland and Spain!

HOTREC, the European umbrella association of hotels, restaurants and cafés, welcomed today during its 76th General Assembly three new members: the Georgian Hotel, Restaurant and Cafe Federation (HOREKA), the Association of HORECA employers in Poland (ZPHoReCa) and Gremi d'Hotels de Barcelona in Spain.

"We warmly welcome these three leading hospitality associations from Georgia, Poland and Spain in the HOTREC family. These new memberships clearly demonstrate HOTREC’s success in representing and defending the hospitality industry’s interests across Europe. HOREKA, ZPHoReCa and Gremi d’Hotels de Barcelona’s voices will further increase HOTREC’s effectiveness in all its activities” commented Ms. Susanne Kraus-Winkler, President of HOTREC. "We are very pleased to join this leading European organisation servicing the interests of the hospitality sector. Joining HOTREC is very important for Georgia - as it is the first and biggest opportunity to maintain our service industry in accordance with international standards. Being a member of a European organization in the hospitality industry and sharing European experience is a big honour for us.”commented Ms. Ketevan Meladze, President of HOREKA. "We believe that we have common interest in Europe to promote hospitality. HOTREC is a unique forum where we can share experience and discuss development barriers in our States. Joining HOTREC – together with our partners from Chamber of Commerce of the Polish Hotel Industry – we can better contribute and make the Polish hospitality industry more visible in Europe” underlined Mr. Marcin Zawadzki, President of the Board of ZPHoReCa. "It is very important for us to be part of the European family of European hospitality entrepreneurs. Gremi d’Hotels will bring its expertise to help shaping the strategy of this important European association”, said Mr. Joan Gaspart, Vice-President of Gremi d’Hotels de Barcelona. Through these three new membership, HOTREC expanding its membership to 43 hospitality associations active in 30 European countries, further consolidating HOTREC’s undisputed leadership in representing the hospitality and tourism sector in Europe. HOTREC represents the hotel, restaurant and café industry at European level. The sector counts in total around 1.9 million businesses, being 99,5% small and medium sized enterprises (90% are micro enterprises, i.e. employing less than 10 people). These businesses make up some 60% of value added. The industry provides some 11.1 million jobs in the EU alone. Together with the other tourism industries, the sector is the 3rd largest industry in Europe. HOTREC brings together 43 national associations representing the interest of this industry in 30 different European countries.