A LIMERICK man has been elected as president of the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF).
Michael Magner, a native of Killeedy, was elected as president of the federation last week, succeeding previous president Denyse Campbell.
Mr Magner, who has a long history in Limerick’s hospitality sector, currently lives in Cork and is the owner of the Vienna Woods Hotel.
In his role as president, he will represent over 900 hotels nationwide employing a total of 65,000 people.
Mr Magner started his career in hospitality when he was just 16 years old in Newcastle West, before going on to study hotel management.
He earned a masters degree in business from University of Limerick, before going on to work at the Fitzgeralds Woodlands House Hotel in Adare.
Speaking after news of his appointment, Michael Magner said: “Our industry has gone through remarkable changes in recent years, not least influenced by the impact of a global pandemic, soaring business costs, rapid consumer inflation, economic uncertainty, climate change, and the impact of global geo-political crises. In the face of all of this, our members have displayed resilience and adaptability.”
“However, some members are facing greater challenges, depending on their location and business mix. Quite simply, more needs to be done by government to support these businesses, which are core to our tourism proposition, delivering exceptional Irish hospitality.”
Mr Magner became a member of the IHF in 2006 and has served as chair of the Cork branch.
He currently sits as Chair of Cobh Heritage Trust and a Director of the Board of Visit Cork.
