The Israel Hotel Association

The Israel Hotel Association (IHA) is the umbrella organization for Israel's hotels and also represents them. It acts to promote, develop and expand tourism in Israel and to offer assistance in raising the hotels' levels of professionalism. In addition, it represents the hotels vis a vis institutions and organizations both in Israel and abroad and in dealings with governmental bodies and local authorities.

The Association acts to protect the legal interests of its members in all interactions between them and the various aforementioned bodies. It also acts as a positive influence in the defense of the rights and the promotion of the welfare of its member hoteliers.

About 350 hotels, from Metulla in the North to Eilat in the South, are members of the IHA. Its activities are carried out within the framework of its elected bodies, among them the Association's council, board of directors and presidency. The national conference is convened once every two years; it determines the Association's policies and modus operandi.

The IHA presidency, utilizing the secretary-general and professional staff of the Association, invests its energies in activities designed to realize the goals decided upon by the institutions of the Association. In addition, ongoing local activities relating to regional matters are carried out by the 10 branches of the IHA throughout Israel.

Calling upon its professional departments and elected committees, the IHA carries out varied and wide-ranging activities in the following fields, all for the purpose of promoting tourism in Israel:

• Updating and instructing members - via the Economic Department - on the details of new economic legislation as they relate to the industry and the economy as a whole and lending its assistance in procedures related to taxation, customs, credit, and more.

• Offering economic advice on topics related to government aid to hotels.

• Taking care of issues relating to labor relations and offering ongoing advice in the area of labor agreements, laws and regulations.

• Offering professional education and training. Initiating, organizing and supporting professional training institutions on a regional basis. Improving the status and professional level of industry workers.

• Maintaining the academic level of the hotel industry and establishing contacts with universities, in order to assure academic training for hotel industry positions.

• Carrying out activities designed to promote tourism, such as: representation in international conferences and congresses; advertising and marketing to promote both domestic and incoming tourism; maintaining commercial contacts with the Israel Incoming Tourism Association, and developing new channels for incoming tourism.

The Israel Hotel Association labors unceasingly to maintain high levels of tourism service in Israel, for the enjoyment of tourists both from home and abroad. The tourists' level of satisfaction is what will determine Israel's standing as a tourism destination and give rise to an increase in both bed-nights and the number of tourists.

The IHA is active in raising the level of its member hotels and in so doing, helping them achieve the highest level of satisfaction that can be bestowed by tourists on the hotels.