Irish Hotels Federation elects Matt O’Connor as 41st president

The Irish Hotels Federation has elected Matt O’Connor as its 41st President to succeed Michael Magner.

Matt O’Connor served as Managing Director of the Mullingar Park Hotel for 23 years and held roles including Chair of the Midlands Branch and National Vice President. The sector represented over 900 businesses that employed 69,000 people directly and supported 270,000 livelihoods in tourism and hospitality.

The election occurred at a time when the industry faced mounting operating costs but anticipated growth from measures such as the restoration of the 9pc VAT rate on food services in July. Matt O’Connor outlined four pillars for his presidency that included strong representation, effective policy advocacy, sustainability acceleration and talent nurturing.

Matt O’Connor shared “It is an immense honour to lead the IHF as we work to ensure the right conditions are in place for the long-term development of our tourism industry. Our hotels and guesthouses are the heartbeat of Irish tourism and a primary driver of regional growth. This success is the result of thousands of talented, hard-working people who provide a world-class welcome every day. As we look ahead through 2026, we see clear reasons for optimism, including the restoration of the 9pc VAT rate on food services this July, the ambitious National Tourism Policy, and the commitment to addressing the passenger cap at Dublin Airport.”

IHF conference 2026

• WATCH: Inaugural speech of Matt O’Connor President of the Irish Hotels Federation
• WATCH: Michael Magner looks back on his two year term as president of the Irish Hotels Federation
• Irish Hotels Federation elects Matt O’Connor as 41st president
• ‘We need to reframe the narrative around tourism’ – minister Peter Burke at IHF Conference
• ‘Even a 1pc increase would generate €150m’ – Fáilte Ireland’s Caroline Bocquet speaks about new ‘Find Yourself on a Short Break’ campaign at IHF Conference
• ‘Suspending Dublin airport cap has unlocked 12pc increase in aircraft seats’ – Alice Mansergh at IHF Conference
• Challenging but rewarding’ – Michael Magner hands over chain after two years as hotel federation president
• ‘Travel and tourism is the fastest growing sector in the world’s economy’ – Ray Kearney at IHF Conference
• ‘Urgent action needed to expand accommodation outside cities’ – Paul Gallagher at IHF Conference
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• ‘Nobody has ever told me that working from home is more fun’ – Peter Cosgrove at the IHF Conference
• BARRIERS: Hotel Federation conference is told 45pc of hotel expansions have been put on hold
• ‘Dishes made with minimal ingredients are the ones tourists will remember in 20 years time’ – chef Rory O’Connell at IHF Conference
• AI will push value back to human elements that are central to hospitality – IBEC CEO Danny McCoy at IHF Conference

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