International Society of Hospitality Consultants

What International Society of Hospitality Consultants does

The International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC) is a professional membership society founded in 1988 and headquartered at 245 North Highland Ave NE, Suite 230573, Atlanta, Georgia. The organization curates a vetted global network of approximately 250 hospitality consultants, providing credentialing, peer networking, and an online consultant directory through which prospective clients can locate advisors by specialization and sector. ISHC is governed by a code of conduct and selective membership admission, and operates awards programs including the Pioneer, Young Leader, Rising Star, Lori Raleigh, FHS Leadership, and Chuck Pinkowski Service awards to recognize member and industry contributions. Day-to-day operations are led by CEO Andrea Belfanti.

ISHC's product surface is event- and community-driven rather than technology-driven. Core offerings include the annual ISHC Conference (rotating globally - Rome 2026, New Orleans 2025, Dubai 2024), a calendar of regional networking events in markets such as London, Berlin, Singapore, Los Angeles, Boston, Atlanta, New Orleans, and Washington D.C., the paid ISHC CapEx industry research publication, and the ISHC Thought Leadership Library. The organization maintains a digital presence through its WordPress-based website (ishc.com), which functions as an information portal and consultant search directory, supplemented by LinkedIn and X/Twitter channels.

Revenue is generated through three streams: annual membership dues from the ~250 hospitality consultant members, registration and sponsorship fees for the annual conference and regional events (including the "Friends of the Society" sponsor program), and sales of the ISHC CapEx research resource. No public revenue, funding, or ownership data are disclosed. ISHC holds no patents, has no known subsidiaries, and has made no acquisitions or disposals in the period covered by the source data.

Name

International Society of Hospitality Consultants

Legal name

International Society of Hospitality Consultants

Website

https://ishc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC) is a 1988-founded professional society headquartered in Atlanta that curates a vetted global network of approximately 250 hospitality consultants, providing credentialing, a searchable consultant directory, an annual global conference, regional networking events, and industry research products including ISHC CapEx.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hospitality Consulting / Professional Society Services

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAHACAA

Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies)

Travel & Hospitality/MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions)/Professional Conference Organizers (PCOs) & Meeting Planners

Keywords

• Hospitality consulting network
• Professional membership society
• Consultant directory
• Hospitality advisory services
• Industry networking events

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Revenue from annual membership dues paid by hospitality consultants who join the society to gain credibility, networking opportunities, and visibility through the consultant directory.
2. Annual Conference and Events: Revenue from registration fees for the ISHC Annual Conference and regional networking events throughout the year.
3. ISHC CapEx Publication: Revenue from sale of ISHC CapEx research publication available for purchase.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC) is a professional membership society that curates a network of 250+ senior hospitality consultants globally. Its core offering is a searchable consultant directory, selective membership credentials, annual and regional networking conferences, and the ISHC CapEx capital-expenditure research publication, serving hotels, resorts, casinos, cruise lines, theme parks, and other hospitality organizations seeking vetted advisory experts.

Product overview

ISHC is a professional society and membership organization for hospitality consultants, not a technology product company. The organization offers a network of over 250 hospitality professionals available for consulting engagements. The core offering consists of membership access to the consultant network, the ISHC CapEx research resource, annual conferences, regional networking events, and an awards program recognizing industry excellence. The organization's main digital presence is a website serving as an information portal and consultant directory, without software-as-a-service products or technology platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ISHC Membership and Consultant Network Selective membership society and global network of 250+ senior hospitality consultants, with a searchable online directory that lets hotels, resorts, casinos, cruise lines, and other hospitality organizations find vetted advisors by specialization and sector. Includes annual membership credentials, code of conduct, and member resources.
• ISHC CapEx Publication Capital expenditure research publication for the hospitality industry, sold as a one-time purchase; the most recent edition referenced is ISHC CapEx 2023. Provides capital expenditure benchmarking and analysis for hospitality operators, owners, lenders, and investors.
• ISHC Annual Conference Flagship annual conference rotating globally that brings together ISHC members, candidates, Friends of the Society, and hospitality industry guests for networking, knowledge sharing, and awards presentations. Past and upcoming editions include New Orleans 2025 and Rome (24-26 September 2026); Dubai hosted the 2024 edition.
• ISHC Regional Networking Events Year-round regional networking events held in key hospitality markets including London, Dubai, Singapore, Los Angeles, Berlin, Boston, Atlanta, New Orleans, and Washington D.C., enabling face-to-face connections among ISHC members, candidates, and hospitality industry professionals.
• ISHC Consultant Search Directory Online searchable directory of ISHC member consultants with filters for expertise and sector, allowing prospective hospitality clients to discover and connect with vetted consultants for advisory engagements.
• Friends of the Society Sponsorship Program Sponsorship program allowing industry partners and vendors to support ISHC events and conferences, with "Friends of the Society" recognition and visibility among ISHC members and the global hospitality community.

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Northstar (HICAP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerISHC partners with Northstar to hold annual receptions in conjunction with the Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP). These events celebrate Rising Star Award recipients and provide networking opportunities for ISHC members with Asia-Pacific hospitality professionals.
• Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerISHC hosts networking receptions in conjunction with the ALIS conference in Los Angeles, providing ISHC members and candidates opportunities to connect with the broader hospitality investment community.
• IHIF (International Hotel Investment Forum)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerISHC partners with IHIF to hold receptions, typically in Berlin, that include Young Leader Award presentations and networking for European hospitality professionals.
• Italian Hospitality Investment Conference (ITHIC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerISHC holds welcome receptions in conjunction with ITHIC in Rome, providing networking opportunities for members interested in the Italian hospitality market.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group: A global hospitality real estate advisory and investment services platform owned by JLL. Comparable as a major hospitality advisory provider whose senior professionals intersect with ISHC membership, and is referenced directly in ISHC's featured-consultant data.
• CBRE Hotels (Hotel Investment & Advisory): CBRE's global hospitality investment sales, valuation, and advisory platform. Comparable as a major incumbent hospitality advisory where ISHC members frequently operate and from which potential members and clients are sourced.
• American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA): A larger, established U.S. trade association for the lodging industry providing advocacy, education, and networking. Comparable as a membership-based hospitality industry body, though broader in scope and primarily U.S.-focused compared to ISHC's global consultant network.
• Cushman & Wakefield (Hospitality): Global real estate services firm with a dedicated hospitality investment and advisory practice. Comparable as a large-scale hospitality advisor competing for the same client engagements ISHC's members pursue, often employing ISHC members.

Others

• STR (CoStar Group): Leading provider of hospitality benchmarking and CapEx intelligence data, acquired by CoStar. Comparable as a hospitality data/research supplier whose ISHC CapEx product competes or partners with, and whose audience overlaps ISHC's buyers and members.

Direct peers

• HSMAI (Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International): A global, member-based professional association serving the hospitality industry with events, education, and awards. Directly comparable to ISHC as a hospitality-focused professional society that monetizes dues, events, and recognition programs and serves overlapping executive buyers.
• Horwath HTL: An international network of hospitality, tourism, and leisure consulting firms operating under a shared brand. Comparable as a branded global hospitality advisory network that competes with ISHC for both clients and senior consultants.
• HVS Global Hospitality Services: One of the world's largest hospitality consulting and valuation firms, providing feasibility, asset management, and operator-search services. Comparable as a hospitality advisory whose principals overlap with the ISHC membership base and whose service categories mirror ISHC's directory taxonomy.

Regional players

• ICHRIE (International Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education): An international hospitality education-focused professional association. Comparable as a membership-based professional society serving the hospitality ecosystem with conferences, journals, and awards, though primarily academic in focus.

Emerging players

• Pinnacle Advisory Group: A boutique hospitality advisory firm whose senior advisor (Rachel Roginsky) is a featured ISHC member. Comparable as a hospitality advisory directly connected to ISHC's network and serving the same hotel-investor client base.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/ishc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-society-of-hospitality-consultants
• Instagraminstagram.com/ishc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about International Society of Hospitality Consultants