HOTREC’s New Beginnings

HOTREC's New Beginnings

Jens Zimmer Christensen, a Danish national, hotel owner and Chairman of HORESTA, the National Danish Hotel and Restaurant Association has been elected President of HOTREC for a 2 years period effective January 1, 2019. Mr. Christensen is also President of HSU – Hotel Stars Union with 19 members in as many countries.

Jens Zimmer Christensen has been in the hotel business since 1993. Before that, he was in the shipping business as the CEO of a number of companies and stationed in both Australia, USA, and Hong Kong.

He was elected chairman of HORESTA in 2009, and two years ago he was elected as a member of HOTREC EXCOM.

One of the fastest growing sectors

Over the past decades, the hospitality industry has experienced continued growth and has become one of the fastest growing economic sectors in the world. ‎ Today, the business volume of tourism equals or even surpasses that of oil exports, ‎food products or automobiles. The global tourism industry has today 1.3 billion international arrivals and is expected to reach 1.8 billion in 2030 with Europe currently being the most dynamic growing market.

For the next two years EXCOM, under the Presidency of Jens Zimmer Christensen together with the CEO Mr. Christian de Barrin, will be working with some of the challenges facing the hospitality industry in Europe.

The biggest one being lack of skilled workforce, which is already significant in many of the members states and affecting the growth rates.

Other major issues will be the digitalization of the sector, the sustainability agenda and the regulation of short term rentals and online travel agencies to secure fair competition.

Mr. Christensen stresses the importance of the hospitality industry in Europe to find its own compromises and speak with one voice in order to secure the best possible conditions to continue to create growth.

He thanks the reigning president of HOTREC, KR Mag. Susanne Kraus-Winkler, MRICS for having done a great job during the past four years by showing character and will to unite the hospitality sector in Europe and to pave the way to a brighter future for the industry, thanks to successful advocacy and lobbying activities.

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HOTREC

 

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