Chaired by Dana Evans MIH, the new committee will provide the focus to respond to political and business initiatives and enable the Institute to better contribute to the development of tourism and hospitality related policies within Wales. The Institute of Hospitality, Cymru will also organise events and activities for networking, professional development, awards and business seminars.
Evans says: “As Wales now has its own government in the Welsh Assembly, we feel that it is the right time to create a single countrywide representation for the Institute of Hospitality, rather than be based on the previous two branch structure. We believe that our new profile will help us contribute to meeting the challenges facing the hospitality and tourism industry in collaboration with other organisations in Wales. The new arrangements will provide an opportunity for greater networking and communication for Institute members in the Principality, and the new Committee will look forward to working with members to arrange regional events to encourage this."
In order to facilitate this initiative, the final AGM and formal dissolution of the South Wales Branch took place on Thursday 23 June. This was immediately followed by the inaugural AGM of the Institute of Hospitality Cymru, where Philippe Rossiter FIH, chief executive of the Institute of Hospitality welcomed the new branch. Philippe said: “I am convinced we can now provide our members and the hospitality, leisure and tourism industry with a more powerful platform within Wales.”
A similar single identity for the Institute of Hospitality in Scotland was established in 2009, and is already proving to be incredibly successful. Refinement of the new structure is currently taking place and the Institute of Hospitality Cymru is expected to be formally launched in early November 2011.
If you have any questions, or if you would like to become involved in ‘shaping’ the new structure and can assist on the strengthened committee, please contact Dana Evans MIH, chairman of the Institute of Hospitality Cymru, on 01792 872330 or email wales@instituteofhospitality.org
