HOTREC convention in Dubrovnik on future of European hotel and tourism industry

HOTREC, the European umbrella association of hotels, restaurants, pubs and cafes, will hold its general assembly in Dubrovnik starting on October 18, and among other things it will discuss the future of Europe's  tourism, its legislative framework in the EU and the shortage of labour, the Croatian Tourism Association (HUT), the host of this year's convention, said on Thursday.

One of the reasons for holding the HOTREC general assembly in Dubrovnik is that as of January next year, Croatia will chair the EU for the first time and because 20% of Croatia's GDP is in fact generated by tourism and it employs more than 10% of all those employed in the country.

HOTREC comprises 43 national associations of hoteliers, restaurateurs, bars, cafes and similar hospitality businesses in Europe in 31 countries with HUT explaining that hospitality or overall tourism, is the third largest industry in Europe, employing almost 12 million people in the EU alone.

There are about 2 million entrepreneurs in the hotel and hospitality business in Europe and 99.5% are small and medium-sized businesses and 91% of these are micro enterprises that employ fewer than 10 employees.

Croatia is one of the key European destinations and its coming chairmanship of the EU and importance on the tourism market will undoubtedly position the country as one of the most important stakeholders on the path toward sustainable tourism, HOTREC president Jens  Zimmer Christensen said. (Hina) 

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