NEW PRESIDENT ELECTED TO IRISH HOTELS FEDERATION

Dublin, 27^th February 2020         

Elaina Fitzgerald Kane, a second generation hotelier with almost 20 years’ experience, has been elected the 38^th President of the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF), succeeding Michael Lennon. The IHF is the leading representative tourism body in Ireland representing almost 1,000 hotels and guesthouses which employ over 60,000 people throughout the country.

Ms Fitzgerald Kane is a Director of the Fitzgerald’s Woodlands House Hotel and spa, a family-owned, four star hotel at Adare, Co Limerick. The 89 bedroom hotel, which currently employs 200 people, was established by her parents, Mary and Dick Fitzgerald in 1983. Mary Fitzgerald is a former President of the Irish Hotels Federation.

A graduate of the Shannon School of Hotel Management, UCG and UCD’s Smurfit Business School, Elaina has been an active member of the IHF for many years. She serves as a member of the Federation’s National Executive Council. Prior to her election, she was Vice-President of the IHF. She has also held the position of Chair of the Shannon branch of the Federation.

-ENDS-

FOR INFORMATION:

 Seán Lawless / Ger McCarthy                                     Dublin office: 01 6798600

Weber Shandwick                                                         Mobile:  085 11 676 40 / 086 2333590

Editors’ notes

Tourism sector at a glance

• 10.9 million out of state visitors
• Tourism accounts for almost 4% of GNP
• Total tourism revenue of €9.2 billion in 2019
• Tourism industry has created over 90,000 new jobs since 2011. It now supports over 260,000 jobs, equivalent to 11% of total employment in Ireland with over 60,000 of these jobs in the hotel sector alone.
• €7.25 billion in foreign exchange earnings
• €1.96 billion in domestic tourism revenue in 2019
• Total of 62,897 hotel and guesthouse bedrooms in Ireland (2019)

About the IHF
Founded in 1937, the Irish Hotels Federation is the national organisation of the hotel and guesthouse sector in Ireland. It represents almost 1,000 hotels and guesthouses nationwide, employing over 60,000 people and is a key stakeholder in the Irish tourism industry.