Hotel Booking Agents Association starts new year with new chair

HBAA Annual Dinner rings in new chair and objectives for 2012

HBAA Annual Dinner rings in new chair and objectives for 2012

New chair of the Hotel Booking Agents Association (HBAA), Chris Peacock, welcomed his year at the helm of the association with the launch of new objectives and a charity auction that raised over ยฃ24K.

Peacock outlined his key objectives to over 400 senior agents, hotels, and venues, placing his focus for the forthcoming year on developing future talent for the sector. Launching the HBAA National Graduate Placement Scheme he said: โ€œThe scope of university degrees in our sector is wide and, as an association, we should be supporting the industry by helping students get the best start they can. The scheme will be available to under-graduates who need to find an industrial placement; it will be 12 months long, paid, and offer the quality of training that the HBAA has become synonymous with.โ€ Placements will be hosted by hotel booking agencies, hotels, or venues, and over 30 companies have already registered interest in 2012โ€™s summer intake.

In addition to the HBAA National Placement Scheme, Peacock also outlined strengthening ties with the corporate market through a series of initiatives including a corporate forum. He also announced the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) as his chosen charity for the associationโ€™s fundraising activities in 2012.

The Hilton London Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 was host to the HBAAโ€™s headline networking event and was styled โ€œNoites Brancasโ€ – a tradition of the Portuguese town of Loule, whereby the buildings are wrapped in white sheets. A three-course dinner was enjoyed by everyone before an auction and raffle for the out-going chairโ€™s nominated charity, WheelPower.

Juliet Price, past chair, said: โ€œI am thrilled that we raised so much for WheelPower and thank everyone for digging so deep. We have supported this charity throughout 2011, and our final gift should help support so many people in their sporting activities.โ€

The HBAA represents the collective interest of the parties involved in the procurement and management of conference, meetings, and accommodation in the UK and internationally as is made up of over 80 agents and 200 chain and independent hotels and venues.

About the author

Avatar of Linda Hohnholz

Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

Share to...