Dehoga Bundesverband

Dehoga Bundesverband
Name	Dehoga Bundesverband
Native name	Deutscher Hotel- und Gaststättenverband Bundesverband
Type	Trade association
Founded	1949
Headquarters	Berlin
Region	Germany

Dehoga Bundesverband is the federal association representing the hospitality industry in Germany. It serves as an umbrella organization for hotel, restaurant, catering and tourism-related enterprises, providing advocacy, standards, statistical services and training. The association interacts with a wide range of institutions in German and European policy, economics and culture.

History

The association was established in the aftermath of World War II alongside institutions involved in reconstruction such as Allied-occupied Germany, Konrad Adenauer's administration, and trade groups that emerged during the era of the Marshall Plan, the European Coal and Steel Community, and the early European Economic Community. During the 1950s and 1960s it engaged with bodies like the Bundestag, Federal Ministry of Economics and regional chambers including the IHK network. In later decades it responded to developments linked to German reunification, the policies of Helmut Kohl, and EU directives from the European Commission and the European Parliament. The association adapted to regulatory regimes influenced by treaties such as the Maastricht Treaty and the Lisbon Treaty, and interacted with unions like ver.di and employers' confederations such as the Bundesvereinigung der Deutschen Arbeitgeberverbände. In the 21st century it confronted crises that involved coordination with the World Health Organization and the Bundeskanzleramt during events comparable to the global health emergency and economic disruptions.

Organization and Structure

The federal association operates as part of a federated network with bodies at city and state level including organizations in Berlin, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Baden-Württemberg and Hesse. Its governance includes a presidium and executive board that engage with figures and institutions such as members of the Bundestag, representatives from the Federal Ministry of Finance, and legal advisers versed in frameworks like the German Civil Code and administrative law interpreted by the Federal Constitutional Court of Germany. The management interacts with international counterparts including the World Travel & Tourism Council, hospitality federations in France, United Kingdom, Spain, and associations within the European Hospitality Association. Administrative offices maintain relations with academic partners from universities such as the University of Hamburg, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, and vocational schools connected to the Chamber of Crafts.

Functions and Activities

The association provides services spanning collective bargaining support, standard-setting, vocational training coordination, quality certification and crisis management. It supplies industry guidance analogous to publications from the OECD, statistical briefings aligned with reports by the Federal Statistical Office of Germany and sector-specific surveys utilized by entities like the Deutsche Bahn and the German Tourism Board. It organizes trade fairs and events comparable to Internorga, liaises with media outlets such as Der Spiegel and Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, and cooperates with cultural institutions including the German National Tourist Board. The association also supports initiatives in hospitality education linked to institutions like the Leipzig University of Applied Sciences and professional competitions reminiscent of WorldSkills.

Political Advocacy and Lobbying

Advocacy efforts target legislation debated in the Bundestag and regulatory action by the European Commission, addressing labor, taxation and licensing frameworks related to hospitality. The association engages with political parties including CDU, SPD, FDP, Alliance 90/The Greens and AfD on matters such as fiscal relief, VAT rates, and licensing reform debated alongside stakeholders like DIHK and BDA (Germany). It mounts campaigns during electoral cycles, submits position papers to committees such as the Committee on Economic Affairs and Energy (Bundestag), and coordinates with municipal authorities in capitals like Berlin and Munich on tourism policy, safety regulations, and event approvals.

Membership and Regional Associations

Membership comprises hotels, restaurants, caterers, inns and related service providers from major cities such as Hamburg, Cologne, Frankfurt am Main, Stuttgart and Düsseldorf, as well as small enterprises in rural states including Saxony, Thuringia, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The federal association integrates with state associations in Bavaria, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein and others, coordinating with chambers such as the IHK Berlin and trade unions like NGG on sectoral issues. Members benefit from networking events, legal advice, and collective initiatives that echo programs conducted by organizations like the German Hotel and Restaurant Association in neighboring countries.

Economic and Industry Statistics

The association compiles statistics on turnover, employment, capacity and occupancy that inform stakeholders including the Federal Statistical Office of Germany, the Bundesbank, and private research institutes such as the IFO Institute and KfW. Data feeds into analyses used by tourism bodies like the German National Tourist Board and international monitors such as the UNWTO. Reports address topics like seasonal demand in regions including Bavaria and the Baltic Sea coast, labor shortages tied to migration trends involving the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees, and investment patterns comparable to hospitality capital flows analyzed by the European Investment Bank.

Criticism and Controversies

The association has faced criticism over its positions on labor regulation, tipping practices, tax rates, and pandemic-related restrictions, prompting public debate in outlets such as Süddeutsche Zeitung and Die Welt. Conflicts have arisen with ver.di over collective bargaining, with municipal governments in Berlin and Hamburg over licensing and nightlife regulation, and with consumer groups and environmental NGOs like BUND over sustainability standards and waste management. Legal disputes have touched administrative rulings reviewed by the Federal Administrative Court of Germany and policy clashes at EU level involving the European Court of Justice.

Category:Trade associations of Germany Category:Hospitality industry Category:Organizations established in 1949