Paris, France 20 April 2006…IH&RA is delighted to announce that Buenos Aires, Argentina will be the venue of the IH&RA 43rd Annual Congress to be held 26-29 October 2006 at the Sheraton Park Tower Hotel Buenos Aires. IH&RA CEO David McMillan recently met with the Vice president of the Republic of Argentina, Dr. Daniel Scioli, and leaders from three hotel and restaurant associations of Argentina: Mr. Alberto Alvarez Argüelles, President of the Federation of Hotels and Restaurants Enterprises of the Argentine Republic (F.E.H.G.R.A), Mr Juan Mirrena, Vice President of the Association of Hotels of Tourism, and Mr. Ricardo Boente President of the Association of Hotels, Restaurants, and Cafes of Capital Federal, to begin preparations for this event which promises to be truly memorable…with Argentina pulling out all the stops for IH&RA. David McMillan’s visit to Buenos Aires at the beginning of April follows on the unanimous approval of Argentina’s bid to host the Congress presented to IH&RA members and its Board of Directors on 09 March 2006 in Berlin.

Argentina’s capital, Buenos Aires
Argentina’s capital, Buenos Aires, is one of the world’s cultural hot spots – an elegant city combining European-flair with Latin American vitality. It is a perfect venue for IH&RA’s forthcoming annual event and spectacular Argentina, the world’s 8th largest country, is a gateway to Latin America, a prime market for hospitality development and growth; a region known for the warmth and passion of its people; a perfect meeting place for IH&RA Congress delegates, hospitality leaders and star performers from all over the globe.
Each year, the IH&RA Congress gives hospitality industry professionals an opportunity to get a closer look at the industry practices of its host destination, with the venue changing each year (the 2005 Congress was held in Beijing, China; the 2004 Congress in Istanbul, Turkey…); but, above all, the IH&RA Congress is the industry’s only truly international event looking at hospitality from a global perspective sharing information across brands and across borders.

New in 2006 - Business and education come together!
Education, training, employee recruitment and retention and the need for free movement of workers across borders is one of the most critical issues facing the global hospitality industry today. IH&RA plans to tackle this global hospitality industry challenge head on by hosting a one day Human Resources Development Forum to kick of the IH&RA Congress on Friday 27 October. Professors and administrators of hospitality schools from around the world and human resource directors of international hospitality chains and independent operations will come face-to-face for an intensive one-day session to dialogue and present current hospitality industry trends and implications for education, training and Human Resources Development.

Hospitality Takes Center Stage!?
The curtain will then rise for the IH&RA Congress, Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 October. This features a dynamic Conference programme where a stellar line-up of the world's hospitality industry leaders will identify threats and opportunities for the global hospitality industry; new developments, trends and innovations around the world. And for the second act: forecasts for the hospitality industry in a globalized world. IH&RA is in the process of aligning its speakers which in the past have included such luminaries as Gérard Pélisson, co-founding chairman, Accor; Simon Cooper, President & COO, Ritz Carlton; Stelios Haji-Ioannou, Chairman and Founder, Easy Group; and Francesco Frangialli, Secretary General, UN World Tourism Organization.
As it takes two to tango – this year IH&RA and the Association of Hotels, Restaurants, and Cafes of Capital Federal (the Hospitality Association of Buenos Aires) are marking two important milestones together: IH&RA’s 60th Anniversary and the 100th anniversary of the Association of Hotels, Restaurants, and Cafes of Capital Federal – Don’t miss the show.

More information on the Congress programme, registration and sponsorship opportunities will soon be available on www.ih-ra.com.