What Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association does

Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association (IHLA) is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit trade association founded in 1916 and headquartered in Chicago, serving as the unified advocacy and industry-support body for Illinois hotel operators, allied vendors, and hospitality students. Its core offerings span four pillars: (1) regulatory advocacy at the local, state, and federal level through IHMPAC; (2) tiered membership programs (Hotel Members, Allied Members, Allied+ at $5,000/year, and Strategic Partners); (3) education and compliance services, including AHLEI certifications, free mandatory human trafficking training via a BEST partnership, and employee safety device compliance; and (4) networking and recognition through Stars of the Industry Awards (since 1996), Women in Lodging, Hospitality Young Professionals, and signature events such as Spring Soiree, Golf Classic, Conference & Trade Show, and State of the Industry Luncheon. The association's 501(c)(3) subsidiary, IHLAEF, has disbursed over $650,000 in hospitality scholarships since 1992.

IHLA generates revenue through three primary streams: recurring annual membership dues, event registrations and sponsorships (with 2026 pricing published across all major events), and tax-deductible contributions to IHLAEF starting at $1,500/year for named scholarships. The go-to-market motion is event-driven and sales-led, combining direct membership outreach, signature-event engagement, and referral-based acquisition through member testimonials such as Petersen Hotels. A preferred-vendor ecosystem — including UnitedHealthcare (5% health coverage discount), EMPLOYERS (5% workers comp), Constellation energy, STR data, TraknProtect, and United Security Services — drives both member value and partner-sourced revenue, with some members reporting over $20,000 in annual savings through these programs.

The organization operates with 8 full-time staff led by President and CEO Michael Jacobson, supported by a Board of Directors drawn from member hotels. IHLA's strategic significance to members is anchored in tangible regulatory wins, including $125 million+ in pandemic-era financial support, $75 million in state ARPA grants, and OTA legislation generating an estimated $30 million in additional annual hotel tax revenue. It addresses a 1,512-property, 169,192-room Illinois hotel market that produces $51 billion in annual business sales and $8 billion in tax revenue, making it a structurally durable franchise in state-level hospitality advocacy.

Name

Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association

Legal name

Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association

Website

https://illinoishotels.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association is a Chicago-based 501(c)(6) trade association founded in 1916 that provides advocacy, compliance training, education, networking, and vendor discounts to Illinois hotel properties, allied suppliers, and strategic partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from hotel properties, allied members, allied+ members at $5,000/year, and strategic partners. Provides access to advocacy, networking, education, and discount programs.
2. Event Registrations and Sponsorships: Revenue from event ticket sales, conference registrations, trade show exhibitor fees, and event sponsorships across Stars of the Industry, Spring Soiree, Golf Classic, Conference & Trade Show, and other events.
3. Educational Foundation Contributions: Tax-deductible donations to the IHLAEF 501(c)(3) foundation, including named scholarships starting at $1,500/year minimum commitment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association is a non-profit trade association that serves as the unified voice for Illinois's lodging industry. It offers tiered membership programs (Hotel Members, Allied Members, Allied+, Strategic Partners), state legislative and regulatory advocacy, workforce training and certifications, networking events and conferences, awards programs, and member discount programs to hotel properties and allied vendors.

Product overview

Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association is a trade association serving as the unified voice for the lodging industry across Illinois. Rather than a unified software product, IHLA operates a portfolio of service offerings including tiered membership programs (Hotel Members, Allied Members, Allied+, Strategic Partners), the IHLA Educational Foundation for scholarships and workforce development, employee certification programs through AHLEI partnership, human trafficking prevention training required by Illinois law, employee safety device compliance solutions, Stars of the Industry awards program for employee recognition, and networking groups (Hospitality Young Professionals and Women in Lodging). The association also operates IHMPAC for political advocacy and provides member discount programs on insurance, energy, and business services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Illinois Women in Lodging (I-WIL): Chapter providing female hospitality professionals access to empowering women leaders, career development opportunities, and engagement in the political process related to the hospitality industry
• Hospitality Young Professionals (HYP)
• IHMPAC
• IHLAEF

Products and services

• IHLA Membership Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $125 million in pandemic relief secured for members
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIHLA partners with AHLEI as the preferred resource for high school to career curriculum, industry certifications (including CHA designation), and training materials. IHLA sponsors certification costs for members, covering study guides, examinations, and fees for over 20 hospitality positions.
• Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIHLA partners with BEST to provide free human trafficking prevention training for members. As of June 1, 2020, all Illinois hotels are required by law to provide this training. BEST's 30-minute online course satisfies the state requirement and research shows training increases victim identification from 8% to 44%.
• TraknProtectminorOthersEmployee safety device vendor offering panic buttons and safety solutions for hotels required to comply with Illinois law. Provides inventory tracking, room tray tracking, and vendor tracking alongside safety functionality.
• United Security Services, Inc.minorOthersPanic button and safety device provider for hotel employees working alone or in isolated areas. High-tech system pinpoints location of individuals in distress and alerts security staff for immediate response.
• UnitedHealthcarecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerIHLA members receive up to 5% discount on employee health coverage through UnitedHealthcare. Provides VIP customer service and negotiated rates to help hotels compete for talent in challenging labor market.
• EMPLOYERScoreGTM or Marketing PartnerWorkers compensation insurance provider offering 5% discount to IHLA members. Leading provider in workers compensation insurance for the hotel industry, helping offset pandemic-related rate increases.
• Constellation (Energy Made Easy Program)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerEnergy solutions partnership helping hotels manage energy costs, achieve budget certainty, cost savings, and financial protection through integrated energy solutions.
• STR (Smith Travel Research)coreOthersIHLA provides members free statewide STR reports and CBRE market forecasts. Members receive 25% discount on customized STAR reports for first year and 10% discount on custom market forecast reports.
• ServiceMasterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides IHLA's dedicated Disaster Recovery Hotline for assistance with fire, water, trauma, and mold issues at member properties.
• WindfallminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDiscount program partner providing exclusive offers from recognized brands including Office Depot, ADP, Avis/Budget, 1-800 Flowers for member savings on everyday purchases.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA): Trade association representing hotel owners with a strong focus on advocacy, education, and vendor partnerships. Overlaps IHLA in serving independent hotel operators and offers similar tiered membership benefits.
• New York State Hospitality & Tourism Association: State-level hospitality trade association with the same advocacy, events, and member-benefit model as IHLA, but covering New York's hotel and tourism industry.
• Texas Hotel & Lodging Association: State lodging association serving Texas hotels with comparable advocacy, membership tiers, and educational programming. Closest geographic-clone peer to IHLA in scale and member profile.
• Florida Hotel & Lodging Association: State lodging association for Florida hotels, operating a similar advocacy + membership + education stack. Strong direct peer given comparable event programming and tiered Allied membership.
• California Hotel & Lodging Association: State-level lodging trade association operating the same membership, advocacy, events, and education model as IHLA, but serving California's larger hotel base. Direct comparable in structure and GTM.

Others

• Meeting Professionals International (MPI): Global association for the meetings and events industry, serving planners and suppliers. Adjacent to IHLA given the overlap on group/convention business driving Illinois hotel demand.

Regional players

• American Gaming Association: National trade association for the commercial casino and gaming industry. Structurally analogous to IHLA (membership-funded advocacy association), though focused on gaming rather than lodging.

Emerging players

• Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI): Global hospitality trade organization focused on sales, marketing, and revenue optimization for hotels. Comparable as a membership-and-education association but with a narrower commercial discipline focus than IHLA.

Broad incumbents

• American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA): National trade association for the U.S. lodging industry and the parent body of which IHLA is a state-level affiliate. Provides federal advocacy, brand standards, and the AHLEI certification program that IHLA leverages locally.
• U.S. Travel Association: National trade group representing the broader travel industry, including lodging. Operates adjacent to IHLA at the federal level and frequently partners with state lodging associations on shared advocacy priorities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/illinois_hotels
• Facebookfacebook.com/IllinoisHotels

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association