HOTREC European Hospitality

📢 HOTREC, the European hospitality industry association, held its 88th General Assembly in Budapest on Thursday, 25 April 2024. Discussions focused on labour and skills shortages, digital rules, and adapting to political and climate changes. Prior to the European elections and Hungarian EU presidency, industry leaders set policy priorities for the next five years, including enhancing tourism, talent support, fair digital rules, sustainability, and consumer preference adaptation. Next assembly: Autumn 2024, Warsaw, Poland. Turkish TUGEV joined HOTREC. Contact: Jasper Dober, HOTREC Media & Communications Manager.

💼 HOTREC, the European hospitality sector's umbrella association, is seeking an intern starting 2 September 2024 for a 6-month full-time position in Brussels. The intern will assist with EU policy advocacy, project management, and communication activities. They require a university degree, EU policy familiarity, a proactive attitude, and excellent English proficiency; additional European languages are beneficial. Applications are due by 12 June 2024 to [email protected], with "Internship" in the subject line. HOTREC represents 47 national associations from 36 countries.

🌏 On 3 February 2025, EU launches the first public consultation on draft Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (PEFCR) for hotel accommodation, developed by a group representing over 51% of the EU hotel market, co-chaired by HOTREC. Stakeholders can review and provide feedback until 2 March 2025. Instructions and access to the draft are available online, aiming to improve environmental performance in the sector.

📓 HOTREC offers a 5-month full-time internship from March to July 2025 in Brussels, pursuing EU advocacy for the hospitality sector. Applications, including CV and motivation letter, should be sent to Mr. Vipin Mehra by 22 January 2025. The role includes monitoring legislation, assisting in advocacy, event support, reporting, and managing EU-funded projects. Requires a university degree, EU politics familiarity, language skills, and proactive attitude. Internship provided under Belgian Convention Immersion Professionnelle with allowance.

📊 On 5 November 2024, a coalition led by Business Europe including HOTREC and 26 industry partners, co-signed a statement on the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CS3D). They urge the European Commission to prioritize relief from administrative burdens and simplify regulations for competitiveness, especially for SMEs. Key demands: a thorough competitiveness assessment, guidelines and legislation adoption 2 years before mandatory compliance or an extended transition period, and consistent rules across the EU to maintain the Single Market's integrity. The coalition recommends the EU monitor national implementations to align with the Directive.

📚 On 5 November 2024, HOTREC and 26 industry partners advocated for a business-friendly Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CS3D), requesting EU support for competitiveness of businesses and SMEs. Their main asks include a competitive assessment of CS3D, adopting guidelines 2 years before mandatory compliance or extending the transition period, and ensuring harmonized rules for the Single Market. The European Commission is urged to monitor transposition measures and coordinate with Member States to align with the Directive.

📍 Key European travel and tourism organizations met in the European Parliament with Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas and MEP Daniel Attard to advance sustainability and resilience in the sector. The meeting builds on the April 2024 Joint Declaration made in Rhodes, aiming for decarbonisation and cross-sector collaboration. Commissioner Tzitzikostas plans to introduce a Sustainable Tourism Strategy for climate change adaptation. The organizations, including A4E, ACI EUROPE, CLIA, ECTAA, EEIA, ERA, HOTREC, IAAPA, IRU, and RURALTOUR, seek policy support and targeted funding for sustainable transformation.

📌 HOTREC reports that Booking.com is legally required to comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) as of today but has not met compliance or communicated necessary changes by the deadline. Booking.com's market share exceeds 70%, but changes to parity clauses and data access are considered cosmetic or unaddressed, such as the pre-payment option and website interface concerns. HOTREC's Director General, Marie Audren, urges the European Commission to investigate Booking.com for non-compliance.