European hospitality association HOTREC has re-elected Alexandros Vassilikos as President for a third consecutive term, following its 93rd General Assembly held in Vilnius, Lithuania, on 13 October 2026. The meeting brought together hospitality leaders from across Europe to elect the organisation’s leadership for the 2027-2028 mandate and discuss key challenges facing the sector.
Vassilikos, representing the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels (HCH), will continue leading HOTREC for another two years. Morten Thorvaldsen, from the Norwegian Hospitality Association (NHO Reiseliv), was also re-elected Vice-President, while Adrian Cummins, representing the Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI), will remain Treasurer.
The newly elected Executive Committee includes eight representatives from national hospitality associations across Europe: Hans Kant from the Netherlands, Ludo Geurden from Belgium, Ramon Estalella from Spain, Markus Luthe from Germany, Roberto Calugi from Italy, Elisabeth Haglund from Sweden, Simona Constantinescu from Romania and François Gauthier from France.
“It is a great honour to have the confidence of HOTREC members for a third consecutive mandate as President,” Vassilikos said, highlighting the contribution of millions of hospitality entrepreneurs and employees to European economies and local communities.
“At a time of great geopolitical turbulence and rapid economic, technological and regulatory change, our responsibility is to ensure that our joint voice is heard clearly and strongly at European level,” he added.
Alongside the Executive Committee, HOTREC members elected representatives to its Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee and Financial Committee for 2027-2028.
Sami Nisametdin, representing the Finnish Hospitality Association (MaRa), was re-elected Chair of the Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee. He will work alongside representatives from Italy, Romania, Sweden and Denmark. Meanwhile, Bernard Zenzerović from Croatia and Jóhannes Þór Skúlason from Iceland will serve on the Financial Committee.
HOTREC members are scheduled to meet again for the organisation’s 94th General Assembly in Santorini, Greece, from 21 to 23 April 2027.
The elections come as Europe’s hospitality industry continues to navigate challenges related to competitiveness, digitalisation, sustainability, labour shortages and an evolving EU regulatory environment.
During the meeting in Vilnius, HOTREC members discussed key developments shaping European tourism, including energy efficiency, digital payments, distribution and the European digital identity wallet. The agenda also covered recent EU policy developments, the future of restaurants and gastronomy, and ways to strengthen the hospitality sector’s resilience.
Marie Audren, Director General of HOTREC, emphasised the importance of translating industry concerns into European policy action.
“Our priority remains clear: turning the realities faced by hospitality businesses into practical European policy solutions. Together, we will continue defending competitiveness, supporting a sustainable and innovative sector, and ensuring that tourism remains firmly on the European agenda,” she said.
Against this backdrop, the association is calling for firm EU action to ensure fair and transparent digital markets and create a level playing field for hospitality businesses across Europe. A recent HOTREC study highlighted growing concerns over market concentration, revealing that Booking Holdings and Expedia Group together account for more than 85% of Europe’s online travel agency (OTA) bookings.
