Events & Programs

Annual Convention & Tradeshow

Annual Convention has been a focus of the membership since the early years of the association. HFTP wanted to provide an opportunity for members to meet and network with each other and for attendees to get quality education on current industry issues. Later, a tradeshow of industry suppliers was added to give attendees the opportunity to browse products and services. The Annual Convention gave members a chance to discuss association business as a group, and introduce new board members. Since the beginning, the convention has been a mix of both business and pleasure.

HITEC

Twenty years after the official inception of the international association, its forefathers recognized a growing segment in the hospitality industry — technology. Technology in 1972 did not involve customer relationship management applications, in-room Internet or hand-held computers; but instead the large hotels were looking into the first renditions of front office property management systems, electronic cash registers and point-of-sale systems. Today HITEC® is a well-known event with over 5,500 attendees and over 300 companies. HITEC serves as a vehicle for distributing the most innovative products and services to the industry worldwide.

HFTP Programs

HFTP has a rich history in providing industry education, certifications, scholarships, reference texts, and other resources for the hospitality industry. Education has always been a focus, with the first Annual Convention in 1952. The association has added several conferences since then to address the industry’s needs. The Certified Hospitality Accountant Executive (CHAE) designation program granted its first certificates in 1980. The Certified Hospitality Technology Professional (CHTP) designation program began in 1994. The association’s publications including its journal The Bottomline and the essential guide to hotel accounting, Uniform Systems of Accounts for the Lodging Industry have established HFTP as a primary industry resource.