Hospitality associations and organizations offer and provide opportunities to expand your knowledge and learn more about the industry’s trend. Grow your network, find your mentor or become a mentor, develop your skills, meeting new people and other benefits that may add value to your career through professional and personal development. The list below is worldwide associations and organizations; however, you can find many local hospitality associations and organizations near you that you can network face to face and expand your knowledge and career in hospitality business.

Associations and Organizations, You Need to Know

American Culinary Federation

Professional organization for cooks and chefs that offers training, accreditation, apprenticeship, educational resources, scholarship, newsletter, magazines, and events.

Academy of Food and Wine Services

Professional body for front of house service workers, offers training information, events, newsletter and scholarships.

American Hotel and Lodging Association

National organization offers resources, serving, supporting and advocating on behalf of American hospitality industry. It also provides trend reports, industry statistics, news, certification for continuing education, webinars, directory and hospitality career page.

American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute

Offers training and education for all segments in hospitality. It provides hospitality organizations and schools with quality resources to train educate and certify hospitality professionals. It also serves the needs of international learning institution and hotel organizations through its licensed affiliates.

Amicale Internationale des Chefs de Reception (AICR International)

International organization for front office professionals represented in many countries, focusing in educational courses, leadership certifications for front office leaders, mentoring programs and networking.

Confederation of Tourism and Hospitality

UK’s leading professional awarding body for qualifications in the hospitality and tourism sector. Focused on training needs of new entrants and existing industry professionals, developing adding value to careers globally in the hospitality, culinary and tourism industries. It has network of approved training centers.

Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI)

Serving destination marketing and management professionals, promoting discussion of ideas and communication, professional development and networking.

Foodservice Consultants Society International

Organization promoting professionalism in foodservice and hospitality consulting. They have division in the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe, Africa and Middle East. 

Global Business Travel Association

Professional association representing travel industry globally. Offers knowledge, resources, professional and personal development to their members. 

Hospitality Financial & Technology Professionals (HFTP)

International nonprofit organization, a spokes group for finance and technology segments of the hospitality industry. Offers networking, research, certifications programs, information resource, conference and events. Headquartered in Austin, TX, USA with offices in Hongkong, United Kingdom, Netherlands and Dubai, UAE.

Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI)

Global organization of sales, marketing and revenue management professionals representing all segments of the hospitality industry. Focusing on education, communication of trends in hospitality and connecting members with customers.

Hotrec

Association representing hotels, restaurants, cafés and similar establishments in Europe. They have 45 member associations in 33 countries, the voice of the European hospitality. 

International Association of Conference Centers

Non-profit corporation offering a global community of people and companies promoting and delivering innovative meeting experience. They also offer professional development through online courses, trainings, webinars, internship, mentoring programs and scholarship.

International Bartenders Association (IBA)

Association representing bartenders in the world, offering news, courses, trends in beverage industry, competition information and networking.

International Congress and Convention Association

Global association for the international meetings industry and specializes in the international association meetings sector, offering education, communication channels, business development and networking opportunities.

International Executive Housekeepers Association

Organization for people working or employed in facility housekeeping at management level, offering professional development through credentialing programs, continuing education, scholarships, resources, networking weekly newsletter with career opportunities information.  

International Hospitality Information Technology Association

Global association of educators and practitioners; aims to advance the use of information technology in the hospitality industry through education and scholarship.

International Hotel and Restaurant Association (IHRA)

The voice of the hospitality industry worldwide. It offers events, news and industry publications.

International Luxury Hotel Association

Trade organization bringing together hospitality leaders to discuss trends, innovation and challenges facing luxury lodging. They provide source of information for owners and hotel operators, cruise lines, hoteliers and other luxury hospitality organizations. They also provide training information, magazines and events.

International Spa Association

Professional organization and voice of spa industry representing health and wellness facilities and providers offering resources, events, webinars and career information for spa industry.

Les Clefs d’Or

Professional association of hotel concierges offering events, industry news, resources and networking with members. 

National Association for Catering & Events

A resource and community for catering and event professionals nationwide, providing education, tools and resources, events and networking.

National Restaurant Association

Foodservice trade association representing restaurant businesses offering research and trends, events, newsletters, career and job vacancies in restaurants. They also offer education certifications, apprenticeship, programs and scholarships National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation.

The Hospitality Industry Network

Networking resource for the hospitality industry providing scholarships, education, leadership development recognition of excellence and business development opportunities. It also provides meetings, educational programs, seminars and career opportunities to its members. 

Professional Convention Management Associations (PCMA)

Network of independent meeting professionals, industry suppliers, faculty, and students. Aims to provide superior and innovative education and to promote the value of professional convention management.

Society for Hospitality and Food Service Management (HSFM)

Non-profit organizations that supports higher education through scholarships and student outreach programs. It also offers, resources, events, conference, webinars and networking.

United States Chef Association

Chefs’ association in United States, offers chef education and training of culinarians from around the world, networking, industry newsletter, culinary trends, and access to certification trainings.

United States Personal Chef Association

Association for personal chefs offering service standards, business guidelines for personal chefs, certification, training, conference and networking.

Hospitality Publications You Need to Know

HospitalityNet

Features hospitality news, events, market reports and other information.

Foodserviceworld

Industry’s online buyer’s guide to streamline suppliers.

Restaurant-hospitality

Dedicated to serve the needs of independent operators, providing them with information about how to run their businesses better.

Hotelbusiness

Features news related to hospitality industry, conference, trade shows, events and other information.

Hotelmanagement.net

Hospitality industry’s magazine that covers hotel investment, development, operations, design technology, brand strategies. It also provides latest news and insight for the hospitality community.

Hoteliermagazine

Trade magazine featuring hospitality news, events, conference, buyer’s guide and other information.

Hotelierworld

Hotel industry’s buyer guide that features resources, list of suppliers, manufacturers and related businesses to the hotel industry.

MeetingsNet

Provides content for market-segment meeting, decision-makers planning meetings, incentives and events

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