Tuesday, 7th March 2006

WATERFORD HOTELIER ELECTED NEW PRESIDENT OF IHF

Ms Annette Devine, Proprietor of the Majestic Hotel, Tramore, Co Waterford was elected President of the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) at its AGM this week.  With some 30 years experience as a businesswoman and entrepreneur, Ms Devine is the 31st President of the Federation and succeeds Richard Bourke. The IHF is the premier representative tourism body in Ireland, and the national organisation representing some 1,000 hotel and guesthouses who employ over 57,000 people.

Ms Devine, a native of Waterford is a commerce graduate of U.C.D and her career spans both retail and the hotel business. Starting her career as a commerce teacher she quickly went on to establish and run a chain of successful fashion boutiques in Limerick before entering the hotel industry. Having sold her fashion retail interests, 18 years ago, she and her husband Danny purchased the Majestic Hotel in Tramore.

Following its acquisition they refurbished and extended the hotel to become a 60 bedroom 3* property.

For the last 10 years, Ms Devine has been a member of the IHF National Council, seven years of which she was Honorary Treasurer.  She was Chairman of the South East branch of the IHF in 1995 and was a National Vice President in 1996.  She served as a Board Member of South East Tourism for three years and has been active in local tourism and business organisations in Waterford.

During her presidency, Annette plans to give priority to: the regional spread of overseas visitors, the leveraging of our green image as a tourism asset, the role of technology in tourism, and the cost of doing business in a competitive international marketplace.

In her spare time she likes to travel, play golf and bridge.

FOR INFORMATION:
Winifred McCourt / Niamh Boylan              Tel: 01 676 01 68
Weber Shandwick FCC                            Mobiles: 087 2446004 or 086 3809191