Michael makes IHF presidency a family affair

A NORTH Clare man has been elected president of the national body representing hotels and guesthouses.

Michael Vaughan, proprietor of Vaughan Lodge Hotel, Lahinch is the new president of the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) for a two-year term. His father, also Michael, was president of the IHF in 1967.
A fourth-generation hotelier with over 25 years experience in the hotel sector, Mr Vaughan is the 34th president of the federation and succeeds Paul Gallagher.
The IHF represents over 900 hotels and guesthouses and employs over 54,000 people. 
During his presidency, Mr Vaughan plans to give priority to addressing the many issues facing the hotel and guesthouse sector to create a positive business environment to support one of Ireland’s most important indigenous industries. His core issues include tackling the lack of credit available to businesses, supporting effective promotion of Ireland in its key tourism market of Great Britain, the positioning of the West in national tourism plans and proposing measures to reduce the high costs associated with doing business in Ireland.
Mr Vaughan is a graduate of the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, with a BA in Hotel and Catering Management. He has previously worked in senior management positions in the hotel sector having held the position of group sales manager, travel trade with Jury’s Hotel Group.  During his career, he has provided consultancy services to many hotel and tourism enterprises including Shannon Airport Authority. 
For the last six years, Mr Vaughan has been an active member of the Irish Hotels Federation. He has been IHF national vice-president since 2011 and branch chair of the IHF Shannon branch of the organisation since 2006. He has also served as a member of a number of its executive committees.
Married with one son, in his spare time Michael enjoys photography, swimming, cycling and the occasional round of golf in the famous golf links at Lahinch.