11 Best Hospitality Communities To Join in 2026
Finding the right hospitality community can open doors to stronger industry connections, expert insights, and career growth. The right group can help you navigate operational decisions and strategic moves, and make you feel like you're not alone. Here’s what you need to know about the top options.
Best Hospitality Communities Shortlist
Here's a shortlist of the best hospitality communities I think are worth joining:
- The Hotel GM - Best for practical hotel leadership insights
- Hosco - Best for global hospitality career growth
- Cornell Hotel Society - Best with Ivy League alumni connections
- Les Clefs d'Or - Best for elite concierge networking
- Institute of Hospitality - Best for professional development credentials
- UKHospitality - Best for UK industry advocacy
- HOSPA - Best for hotel commercial leaders
- HEDNA - Best for hotel distribution professionals
- NEWH - Best for hospitality design networking
- Hotels Canada - Best for Canadian hotel advocacy
The 11 Best Hospitality Communities
Below are my summaries of the best hospitality communities. My reviews offer a look at each community's audience, size, cost, and more.
Want more from The Hotel GM?
Sign up for a free membership to complete reading this article:
Have an account? Log In
1. The Hotel GM - Best for practical hotel leadership insights
- Audience: Hotel GMs and senior hospitality leaders worldwide
- Cost: Free
- Platform: The Hotel GM website and member dashboard
Our community, The Hotel GM, is built specifically for hotel general managers and senior hospitality leaders who want practical, no-fluff support for running better properties. We created it because we know the gap between generic business advice and the real day-to-day demands of hotel leadership is wide.
Why join? The Hotel GM gives you access to hotel leadership articles, benchmarks, AI prompts, and operating frameworks that address the challenges you face across operations, guest experience, and revenue. We also host exclusive hospitality events and roundtables where you can connect with peers who understand what it actually takes to manage a property.
If you want resources that translate into better decisions on the floor, this is where I'd start.
2. Hosco - Best for global hospitality career growth
- Audience: Hospitality professionals and hotel managers worldwide
- Size: 1,500,000+ members
- Membership Cost: Free
- Platform: Website
Hosco is a global hospitality network built specifically for industry professionals—from front desk staff and chefs to hotel managers and revenue leaders—connecting them with jobs, courses, and peers across 80+ countries. It's one of the largest hospitality-specific platforms out there, with over 1.5 million members worldwide.
Why join? What sets Hosco apart is the combination of career tools and learning in one place. You get access to hospitality-specific courses through Hosco Learning, a profile visible to 7,000+ hospitality employers, and a job board filtered by destination (think Dubai, Paris, the Maldives), with salaries.
I'd especially recommend it if you're looking to grow internationally or want to upskill in areas like revenue management, event management, or F&B while staying connected to a massive global network of hospitality professionals.
3. Cornell Hotel Society - Best with Ivy League alumni connections
- Audience: Cornell hospitality alumni, students, and executive program grads
- Size: 10,000+ members
- Membership Cost: From $100
- Platform: Website, mobile app, in-person chapter events
Founded in 1922, the Cornell Hotel Society (CHS) is the alumni association of Cornell University's Nolan School of Hotel Administration. It's a self-funded, volunteer-run organization connecting over 10,000 "Hotelies" across 50+ global chapters.
Why join? If you're a Cornell Nolan alumnus, the access here is hard to match. The CHS Lobby app lets you search and connect with fellow graduates by location, company, and interests, and the 100+ annual chapter events make it easy to build real relationships with hospitality leaders worldwide.
I'd also flag that if you're not a Cornell grad, you can still qualify for affiliate membership by completing the General Manager's Program (GMP) or four Professional Development Program (PDP) courses. Either way, what you're really getting is entry into one of the tightest-knit, most influential alumni networks in the hospitality industry.
4. Les Clefs d'Or - Best for elite concierge networking
- Audience: Experienced hotel concierges at luxury properties worldwide
- Size: 4,000+ members
- Membership Cost: Pricing upon request
- Platform: Website, private member directory, in-person congresses and events
Les Clefs d'Or (UICH) is the world's most prestigious professional society for hotel concierges, founded in France in 1929 and expanded internationally in 1952. It's governed by elected leadership and run through 40+ national sections worldwide.
Why join? If you're a career concierge at a luxury property, the golden crossed keys pin is the most recognized credential in your field. The peer network behind it is what makes it genuinely valuable day-to-day, giving you direct access to fellow members in virtually any major city to arrange services for your guests. Membership also unlocks annual International Congresses held in rotating global destinations, where you'll connect with the most accomplished concierges in the world.
I'd be upfront that the admission bar is high—typically five or more years of hotel experience, two member sponsors, and a rigorous written and oral exam—but for the right candidate, it's one of the most career-defining things you can do.
5. Institute of Hospitality - Best for professional development credentials
- Audience: Hospitality professionals and students worldwide at any career stage
- Size: 17,000+ members
- Membership Cost: From $45
- Platform: Website, online portal, webinars, in-person events, podcast
The Institute of Hospitality is the world's largest professional body for hospitality, serving 17,000+ members across all career levels globally. It's a UK-registered charity dedicated to raising professional standards through credentials, CPD, and community.
Why join? What sets the Institute of Hospitality apart is the ability to earn recognized post-nominal designations—AIH, MIH, or FIH—that signal professional credibility in a way few other hospitality communities offer. Beyond credentials, you get access to a free mentoring program, 250+ online courses, a CPD tracking portal, and both in-person and virtual events spanning UK regional branches and international chapters.
I'd especially highlight the funded membership bursary if cost is a barrier—it's a rare commitment to making professional development genuinely accessible.
6. UKHospitality - Best for UK industry advocacy
- Audience: UK hospitality operators, suppliers, and industry associations
- Size: 750+ members
- Membership Cost: Pricing upon request
- Platform: Website, in-person events, webinars, member directory
Formed in 2018 from the merger of the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers and the British Hospitality Association, UKHospitality is the UK's leading trade body for the hospitality sector. It represents 750+ member organizations spanning hotels, bars, restaurants, contract caterers, and visitor attractions.
The community is led by Chair Kate Nicholls and operates across Westminster, Holyrood, and the Senedd to advocate on behalf of its members at every level of UK government.
Why join? If your hospitality business operates in the UK, UKHospitality is the clearest path to having your interests represented in policy conversations. It's the only organization speaking with a unified voice for the entire sector. Membership gets your business access to exclusive networking events like the annual Summer Conference and Christmas Lunch, sector-specific guidance, and a supplier discount portal with real cost savings.
I'd flag that this is a business-level membership, so it's best suited for operators, suppliers, and industry associations rather than individual hospitality professionals.
7. HOSPA - Best for hotel commercial leaders
- Audience: UK hotel finance, revenue, and commercial leaders
- Membership Cost: Free
- Platform: Website, in-person events, webinars, annual conference, online learning
Hospitality Professionals Association (HOSPA) is a UK-based not-for-profit membership organization founded around 1969. It is built specifically for commercial hospitality professionals in finance, technology, revenue management, marketing, and HR.
CEO Jane Pendlebury leads the organization, which is recognized as the UK's authoritative voice on hospitality financial management and commercial operations.
Why join? What makes HOSPA worth your attention is that operator membership is free. It gives you access to accredited learning programs, a members-only job board, and the annual HOSPACE conference, which is the flagship event for UK hospitality commercial leaders. You'll also get monthly issues of "The Overview" magazine, recorded webinars, and masterclasses tailored to finance, revenue, and tech functions.
I'd especially recommend it if you're in a commercial or back-office role and want peer access and professional development that's actually relevant to your day-to-day.
8. HEDNA - Best for hotel distribution professionals
- Audience: Global hotel distribution and travel tech professionals
- Membership Cost: From $250
- Platform: Website, members-only portal, global conferences, online learning, working groups
Hotel Electronic Distribution Network Association (HEDNA) is a global not-for-profit trade association and the only international forum dedicated exclusively to hotel distribution. It connects professionals across hotels, GDSs, OTAs, tech providers, and consultancies in 35 countries.
The community is governed by a board of executives from leading hospitality and travel technology companies.
Why join? If your work touches distribution strategy, channel management, or hospitality tech, HEDNA puts you in the room—virtually and in person—with the people shaping how hotels sell globally. Membership gets you access to HEDNA University, research reports like the State of Distribution, Disciplines working groups that directly influence tech roadmaps, and in-person conferences like HEDNA Lisbon.
I'd recommend it specifically if you want peer access and influence at the intersection of hotel commercial strategy and distribution technology.
9. NEWH - Best for hospitality design networking
Audience: Hospitality designers, architects, purchasers, and students worldwide
Size: 8,000+ members
Membership Cost: Pricing upon request
Platform: Local chapters, in-person events, website, online member portal
The Network of Executive Women in Hospitality (NEWH) connects designers, architects, purchasers, suppliers, and educators across the hospitality design and development space. With 30+ local chapters worldwide and 8,000+ members, it's one of the most established networks in hospitality design.
Why join? If you work in hospitality design, FF&E, or development, I think NEWH gives you something most hospitality communities don't: a genuinely local network, with active chapters in cities across North America, Europe, and beyond. Membership also gives you access to BrandED educational sessions, the TopID Awards, regional trade shows, and leadership events where you can connect with peers and industry partners in person.
It's worth noting that NEWH has awarded over $10M in scholarships to date, making it a strong community for firms and educators invested in developing the next generation of hospitality talent.
10. Hotels Canada - Best for Canadian hotel advocacy
Audience: Canadian hotel owners, operators, brands, and suppliers
Membership Cost: Pricing upon request
Platform: Website, in-person events, webinars, advocacy forums
The Hotels Canada (formerly the Hotel Association of Canada) is Canada's national trade association for the hotel and lodging industry. It represents hotel owners, operators, corporate brands, management companies, provincial and city hotel associations, and suppliers.
The community is the only organization advocating for the Canadian lodging industry at the federal level.
Why join? If your business operates in or supplies Canada's hotel market, Hotels Canada gives you direct representation in federal policy discussions affecting labor, tourism, and taxation. Members also gain access to exclusive industry research, webinars, and the Executive Advocacy Council — a forum where corporate members help shape the association's national agenda.
I'd also point out its cross-border partnerships with AHLA and Mexican hotel associations, which make it especially relevant if your business spans the USMCA region.
11. Accommodation Australia - Best for Australian hotel employers
Audience: Australian hotel owners, operators, and accommodation employers
Size: 3,500+ members
Membership Cost: Pricing upon request
Platform: Website, in-person events, awards, member portal, expos
Accommodation Australia is the national representative body for Australia's accommodation industry. It operates as a division of the Australian Hotels Association (AHA) with state-based branches across the country.
This community represents over 3,500 accommodation providers — from independent motels to five-star hotel groups.
Why join? What sets Accommodation Australia apart is the combination of national advocacy and hands-on workplace relations support. It is valuable if you're an employer navigating Australia's complex IR landscape. Members get direct access to legal and employment advisory services through their state branch, plus invitations to industry forums, the state and national Accommodation Awards for Excellence, and Australia's largest hotel industry event, the NoVacancy Hotel + Accommodation Expo.
If you own or operate accommodation in Australia, this is the community that's actively lobbying on your behalf on issues like short-stay regulation, workforce policy, and bed taxes.
Other Hotel Management Resources
Don't stop there! Here are some other great strategic resources for hoteliers:
- You can read hotel management books and hospitality management books to gain insights into running successful operations.
- Listening to hospitality podcasts or hotel podcasts lets you hear real-world tips and stories from industry experts.
- Attending travel conferences connects you with professionals while keeping you informed about industry innovations.
- Presenting or showcasing at hospitality conferences or hotel industry conferences helps you share your expertise and gain visibility.
- Joining hotel communities provides a platform to learn, network, and grow alongside other hoteliers.
- Subscribing to hotel newsletters and hospitality magazines ensures you never miss important updates or resources in the hospitality world.
Hospitality Management FAQ
Do You Need a Hospitality Degree to Work in Hotel Management?
No, a hospitality degree is not mandatory for hotel management jobs, but it can provide a helpful boost. Many people in hotel management have learned on the job by working in various positions and gaining experience. The most important skills are usually leadership, customer service, and operational know-how.
However, some employers might prefer candidates who have taken hotel management courses or have a degree, which can show formal training in the field
What’s Next?
Elevate your professional edge in hospitality & hotel management - subscribe to our newsletter for a curated blend of expert advice, industry news, and success secrets!
