Mats Östblom is well known to IH&RA members. He has represented Independent Operators on the IH&RA Board of Directors since 2002 and taken an active part in IH&RA work for a number of years. Mats, who is Managing Director of Hotel Liseberg Heden in Göteborg, Sweden, has considerable experience in negotiating with travel agents. In this context, he has well established contacts dating back to 1991 with the Monte Carlo-based Universal Federation of Travel Agents' Associations (UFTAA).

Working via an 'IH&RA-UFTAA Liaison Committee' set up to tackle problems arising between their respective members, IH&RA and UFTAA finalized a joint Code of Practice for Hoteliers & Travel Agents in 2000. This is designed to structure and streamline relationships between these two sets of professionals.

Other issues of common concern include commission payments, exchange rate variations, credit card imprints, as well as broader issues such as combating the commercial sexual exploitation of children, opposing the drafting of international standards for tourism services and raising environmental awareness.

Key contacts at UFTAA are Joe Borg Olivier, President, Nicoll Chomé, Deputy Secretary-General and Birger Backman, consultant and former Secretary-General. For more information on UFTAA see www.uftaa.org