Hotelier Awarded Honorary Fellowship Of The Tourism Society

In recognition of his pioneering and innovative contribution to the UK’s hospitality industry, Robin Sheppard, Chairman of the Institute of Hospitality and the Bespoke Hotels Group has been awarded an Honorary Fellowship of the Tourism Society.

Lord Thurso, President of the Tourism Society, presented the award to Robin Sheppard at a celebratory lunch, organised by the Tourism Consultants Network, at the Royal Garden Hotel, Kensington, London. A tribute to Robin Sheppard’s lifetime achievements was made by Mike Jones, Managing Director of Hospitality Impact Limited, Fellow and Board Member of the Tourism Society and former vice-president of global distribution for Hilton International, InterContinental and the Forte Group.

In a highly entertaining acceptance speech, Robin Sheppard recounted his colourful career including General Manager roles in some of England’s finest and most distinctive properties, such as the Lygon Arms in Broadway, the Royal Berkshire Hotel in Ascot and the Bath Spa Hotel. He also drew references from his book, “A Solitary Confinement”, which documents the serious illness that he suffered and recovered from to resume work in the hotel industry.

This is the eighth Honorary Fellowship to be awarded on the initiative of the Tourism Consultants Network (a section of The Tourism Society), Europe’s leading professional association of tourism consultants. Previous honorees are Taleb Rifai, outgoing Secretary-General of UNWTO; Christopher Rodrigues, past Chairman of VisitBritain; Chris Brown, the UK’s first female airline COO; Clive Jacobs, founder of Holiday Autos; Peter Long, former CEO of the TUI Group, and the travel writer and broadcaster Simon Calder.