In the wake of the terrorist attack of 9/11 and the series of crises (Iraq War, SARS, Bird Flu) which subsequently affected the hospitality and wider tourism industry, ILO focused more closely on regional activities. Global tri-partite discussions at ILO headquarters in Geneva were set aside in favour of action on Hotel, Catering & Tourism (HCT) issues in selected countries in various world regions (Fiji, Argentina, Egypt, South Africa, Barbados) where national steering groups were formed and meetings held.

Topics addressed include labour statistics, decent work, social dialogue, job creation and entrepreneurship as well as the sustainable development of tourism.

Progress has, by ILO admission, been slow and there is some question as to the value of this action at national level relative to what is usually discussed and accomplished at the international level. For this reason, the ILO Governing Body has decided to adopt a new approach to these activities witha view to more constituent-driven and topical sectoral activities. The large number of sectors and sub-sectors covered by these Sectoral Activities have now been reorganized into 8 main groupings. Hotel, Catering and Tourism now falls under "Private Sector Services", along with Commerce, Financial Services, Telecoms, IT and Business Services, among others.

The proposed reform also includes a new type of activity for the 2008-2009 period in the shape of "Global Dialogue Forums". These will be shorter, more focused, smaller scale tripartite or bipartite meetings. (In the ILO context "tripartite" refers to combined meetings between representatives of Governments, Employers and Employees.) If progress made in the Forums allows, larger tripartie meetings could be held in 2010-2011.

In the meantimes, the proposed scope of the major tripartite meeting on "Employment in the Food & Drink Industries: The Challenge of Global Food Chains" to be held in Geneva 24-28 September 2007 has been narrowed to exclude catering and restaurants. The topic remains of interest to producers and suppliers of food products to the catering industry.

IH&RA and ILO are currently redefining the scope and focus of the IH&RA International Worker Mobility programme designed to create a process by which skilled and semi-skilled hotel and restaurant workers can migrate to areas of need under short and medium-term contracts. In the light of the current labour and skills scarcity in the hospitality industry in many countries, this programme remains of particular relevance.