International hotel association(MGA)

The International Hotel Association (IHA) - the leading international organization in the field of hospitality - was established in 1946. The main task of the IHA is to protect the interests of its members in international governmental and non-governmental organizations. To this end, regular research is carried out in the field of international law, in the field of marketing, much attention is paid to the problems of building hotels, their classification, and the effectiveness of capital investments.

A special contribution to the development of international tourism and the hotel industry was the adoption of the International Hotel Rules in 1981. In most countries of the world, hotel chains and individual hotels to protect professional, industry and economic interests formed on a voluntary basis national hotel associations.

The Russian Hotel Association (RGA) was established in 1997, its founders are the leading hotels in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sochi, Ryazan, Irkutsk and other cities Russian Federation. RGA is a non-profit organization that unites hotel enterprises and other collective accommodation facilities, as well as manufacturers of goods and services for them, financial institutions, educational institutions, etc.

The main activities of the RGA:

¦ cooperation aimed at promoting the development of the domestic hotel industry, expanding and improving the quality of hotel services and promoting them to domestic and foreign markets;

¦ participation in the development of federal, regional and local regulations that meet the professional interests of the members of the Association;

¦ Establishment and maintenance of intra-corporate relations that contribute to the expansion of business and professional contacts, the protection of the Russian hotel business, and fair competition;

¦ participation in the development and implementation of national and international programs and projects in the hotel industry;

¦ practical implementation of a specific program of action.

In December 2003, the RGA became a member of the International Association of Hotels and Restaurants. National hotel associations, in turn, formed a number of regional associations.

Moscow Regional Hotel Association (MOGA): On August 26, 2004, the leaders of the hotel complex of the Moscow region signed an agreement on its establishment. As the main objectives of its activities, the MOGA declares assistance in creating conditions for the effective functioning of the hotel industry system in the Moscow region; participation in the preparation of regulatory decisions on the regulation of hotel services; participation in the development of state programs for the development of the hotel industry.

MOGA carries out:

¦ development and coordination of the implementation of the program for the development of the hotel and tourist complex of the city and region;

¦ creation in cooperation with other interested organizations unified system preparation of investment proposals for hotel enterprises;

¦ organizing the selection of investors for the construction of new and reconstruction of existing hotel facilities in Moscow and the Moscow region;

¦ development of proposals for the allocation of budgetary funds, including to individual hotel enterprises, the definition of priorities for budgetary support for specific investment projects;

¦ strengthening the system of interaction between the city hotel complex and territorial government bodies, coordinating the development of hotel enterprises and territorial infrastructure.

Of great importance for the future of the hospitality industry of the capital is the implementation of the concept of improving the management of the hotel complex of the city, the purpose of which is to form in Moscow and the Moscow region corresponding to the best international standards hotel industry, using high-tech management systems and the latest equipment. This will sharply improve the quality of service for Russian and foreign guests, achieve a higher percentage of city hotel occupancy, create additional jobs, and therefore significantly increase the flow of income to the city treasury.

It was founded on March 18, 1946 in London on the initiative of the Swiss Society of Hotel Owners. It was formed by combining the functions of the International Association of Hotel Workers, founded in 1869, and the International Hotel Union, founded in 1921. The Charter and existing principles of activity came into force on January 1, 1978. It unites about 80 national hotel associations. The total number of members of the International Hotel Association reaches 4500 from 145 countries of the world.

The goals of the association are: development of cooperation between national hotel associations of all countries of the world, protection of personal and professional interests of its members, studying the problems of the global hotel industry and international tourism, participating in the development of the hotel industry, assisting in the study of professional issues related to management, international financial settlements, insurance, foreign exchange, working conditions for personnel, the creation of qualification systems, the publication and exchange of information and reference materials, the provision of commercial information and assistance in settling financial settlements with travel companies.

The activity of the International Hotel Association is focused on the study of problems related to legal aspects and legislation, technological development, marketing, professional training in the hotel industry. Protects and defends the interests of the tourism service sector in intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations. Members of the association receive information about their rights and obligations in their business relations with travel agencies, exchange experience in the field of the latest technologies and services. The Association organizes annual study tours and programs, special seminars.

The Association is actively engaged in publishing activities: a newspaper is published about news in the industry (published twice a month), annual directories: an international hotel guide - International Hotel Guide, an international register of travel agencies - World Directory of Travel Agencies, an international register of hotels and restaurants - Hotels and Restaurants International. These publications allow all companies and organizations to navigate the hospitality and tourism industry, using detailed information set out in directories and specialized registers. Russian travel companies have long appreciated the usefulness of these publications and successfully use them in their work.

The General Congress of the International Hotel Association, convened every 2 years, is the governing body. The administrative bodies are the executive committee and the council. Day-to-day work is carried out by the secretariat.

8.6. Associations and unions in the hotel industry: a look into the future

The first associations were formed in Europe in the 14th century, when the first guilds of innkeepers were organized. At the turn of the XIX-XX centuries. syndicates, corporations and joint-stock companies were created, uniting various enterprises, the process of initial accumulation of capital in the hotel business was carried out.

In London in 1906, the "Hotel Owners Union" was organized, it united 1700 hotels in Europe. The trend towards the pooling of capitals has greatly contributed to the creation and, consequently, the offer of better hotel services.

Consider the main factors influencing the desire of hotel owners to unite, first of all, they include:

The need to fully load the hotel;
- ensuring compliance with equipment and equipment standards;
- high competition;
- market conditions;
- improvement of flexible personnel policy and vocational training;
- creation of investment funds.

The main goals of creating associations are:

Exchange of information through mass media;
- creating an image among members of associations;
- representation for federal level(regional);
- preferential group insurance;
- periodical advertising campaigns;
- joint price control;
- assistance in improving enterprise management;
- patronage of permanent members in promotion through the ranks.

The most famous associations that are successfully developing in the hotel services market are:

1. HORTEC (confederation of national associations of hotels and restaurants) - 1200 hotels and restaurants, 22 national organizations.
2. AH & MA (American Association of Hotels and Motels). It was organized in 1910. It unites 70 American and 33 foreign national associations, 675 allied enterprises. This association contributed to the emergence of MAFO.
3. MAFO (American Association of Franchise Associations).
4. "The Leading Hotels of the World" (1927) includes 315 luxury hotels.
5. MGA (International Hotel Association).

The information provided is a clear evidence that in the global hotel business, the process of consolidating hotel services is being carried out in order to obtain additional profit, stimulate sales of the hotel product and insure possible commercial risks.

After studying the materials in this section, you have received information that:

The hotel, as a complex entity, requires a clear management structure;
- there are hotel chains and "independent" hotel consortiums;
- the entry of the hotel into a particular hotel chain significantly increases the income of the enterprise;
- Increasingly, hotel companies resort to concluding a franchise agreement;
- the role of hotel chains in the global hospitality business is constantly increasing;
- hotel chains penetrate into the hotel business in Russia;
- hotel associations play a significant role in the development of the hotel business.

Control questions and tasks

1. Explain the main reasons that require the creation of a hotel management system.
2. What is the advantage of W. Ritz hotels?
3. What is the difference between K. Wilson's hotel business model?
4. What are the main requirements that the Holiday Inn hotel chain meets?
5. What are the functions of a franchisor?
6. What is the role of the hotel concept in the development of the hotel business?
7. What is the advantage of a transit hotel?
8. What are the main features of a holiday hotel?
9. What are the conditions for signing a franchise agreement?
10. Name the main hotel chains in the world of hospitality.
11. How effective and justified is the introduction of hotel chains in the hotel business in Russia?
12. Will the associations and unions that arise in the hospitality industry contribute to a better delivery of hospitality services?
13. What, in your opinion, are the reasons for the consolidation of the hotel business?
14. How intensively are such processes implemented in Russia?

The charter of the association defines the following main tasks:

- association of national hotel associations of all countries, as well as individual hotels and restaurants serving foreign tourists;

– protection of personal and professional interests of hotel and restaurant owners;

– development of the hotel industry, the study of issues of freedom of movement, management of the hotel industry, international financial settlements, insurance, labor supply, etc.;

– informing members of the association about hotels, restaurants and travel companies.

International Federation camping and caravanning is an international tourism organization whose members are national federations and associations of camping and caravanning. FICC has a Tourist Information Center and several specialized commissions. The FICC Secretariat is located in Brussels (Belgium).

International association tourism experts (AIEST) - an international tourism organization that unites both individual members - persons engaged in scientific activities in the field of tourism, and associate members - organizations and institutions interested in the activities of AIEST. The organization has the nature of a scientific community and its goal is to support the scientific activities of its members, ensuring the exchange of documentation and experience, supporting the activities of tourism scientific institutions and tourism training centers The AIEST Secretariat is located in Bern (Switzerland).

International Organization for Vocational Training in Tourism(AMFORT) was established in 1969 with the aim of improving the methods of professional tourism training, streamlining and standardizing programs, and introducing technical means into training. AMFORT members are research centers and educational institutions, official tourism organizations and enterprises, and tourism specialists. At the initiative of AMFORT, an international certificate of a tourism specialist was issued. The AMFORT secretariat is located in Madrid (Spain).

Among the leading organizations active in the field tourism business and entrepreneurship, World Association of Travel Agencies (WATA). It was founded in 1949, is an international association of travel agencies and has 188 member organizations in 160 cities in 82 countries. The main goal of the organization is the cooperation of highly professional travel agencies of the world to form a single market image and establish common standards the quality of tourism services. Among the tasks of BATA are information services; coordinating and facilitating the activities of travel agencies; development and dissemination of documents regulating the development of their sector of the tourism business; counseling; financial assistance and protection of the economic interests of its members; protection and representation of its members at international forums, exhibitions and fairs. In order to achieve its objectives, the association, in particular, conducts seminars and meetings of working groups; developed a voucher (WATA Voucher) - the most practical document for cooperation between travel agents and suppliers; published a collection of 130 confidential fares used by 10,000 travel agencies; publishes a quarterly newsletter (WATA Gazette). The headquarters of WATA is located in Geneva.

International Hotel Association- the leading international organization in the field of hospitality - was established in 1946. The main task of the IHA is to protect the interests of its members in international governmental and non-governmental organizations. To this end, regular research is carried out in the field of international legislation, in the field of marketing, much attention is paid to the problems of hotel construction, their classification, and the effectiveness of capital investments. A special contribution to the development of international tourism and the hotel industry was the adoption of the International Hotel Rules in 1981.

In most countries of the world, hotel chains and individual hotels have formed national hotel associations on a voluntary basis to protect professional, industry and economic interests. It is rather difficult to classify hotels because of their great diversity. The level of comfort is the most important and decisive factor in determining the class of the hotel. In each individual state, understanding the level of comfort as a classification criterion is approached differently. It is this circumstance, as well as a number of factors due to the cultural, historical and national traditions of states, that prevents the introduction of a unified classification of hotels in the world. This is due to the fact that the development of a categorization system for accommodation facilities is one of the most difficult problems of the tourism industry and the hotel industry.

In addition to hotel chains, specific associations are actively operating on the world market, the main purpose of which is to identify the best representatives hotel business. Among them are the international corporation Leading Hotels of the World (since 1928), the International Organization Privileged Hotels and Resorts of the World, the international hotel association Quiet Hotels of the World (since 1968) and others.

Arab Tourism Union (UAT) established in 1954 and unites the national tourism organizations of 18 Arab states.

Special international tourism organizations have a different profile and perform specific functions. One of them is responsible for Scientific research in tourism, others - for the training of tourism personnel, others are professional associations of workers in the tourism industry, etc. To this group international organizations includes the International Academy of Tourism (ACIT), the International Association of Scientific Experts in Tourism (AIEST), the World Association for vocational training in the field of tourism (AMFORT), the International Club of Famous Travelers (CIGV), the International Association of Congress Translators (AIIC), the International Forum of Travel and Tourism Advocates (IFTTA) and many others.