HORESCA General Assembly Addresses Labour Challenges, Elects Board Members

On Tuesday 10 March 2026, the National Federation of Hotel, Restaurant and Café Owners of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg (HORESCA) held its annual General Assembly at the MONDORF Domaine Thermal in Mondorf-les-Bains.

The statutory meeting was followed by an official reception and a roundtable discussion attended in particular by Luxembourg's Minister of the Economy, SMEs, Energy and Tourism, Lex Delles, Minister for Home Affairs, Léon Gloden, and Minister of Labour, Marc Spautz.

During the General Assembly, members also held elections to complete the association’s Board of Directors. Six of the seven outgoing board members stood for re-election, including President Alain Rix and Vice-Presidents Carlo Cravat and Romain Weber.

Three new candidates also stood for election: Christian Thoma (Bei den Zwillingen), Luc Reis (Sightseeing.lu) and Marie-Laure Goeres (Goeres Group). Following the vote, Alain Rix, Carlo Cravat, Christian Thoma, Claude Lang, Marie-Laure Goeres, Romain Weber and Steve Pfeiffer were elected for five-year terms.

The HORESCA Board of Directors now comprises sixteen members representing different segments of Luxembourg’s HoReCa sector.

“The Luxembourg HoReCa sector plays an essential role in the country’s economy, tourism and social life. In a constantly evolving economic and regulatory environment, the priority of the Board of Directors is to support our businesses, defend their interests and create the conditions for their strategic and sustainable development,” emphasised Alain Rix, President of HORESCA.

According to HORESCA, the official reception included a roundtable discussion bringing together representatives of the HoReCa sector, Alain Rix, HORESCA Secretary General Steve Martellini and Minister Lex Delles.

During the discussion, several strategic topics were addressed: labour market challenges, vocational training, digitalisation and the positioning of the HoReCa sector within the European context. The discussion highlighted the concrete challenges faced by companies and identified solutions to strengthen the competitiveness and attractiveness of the sector.

“HoReCa businesses face numerous challenges – from recruitment to training, as well as changing customer expectations – which require constant dialogue between professionals, institutions and political decision-makers,” noted Steve Martellini.

On the occasion of the General Assembly, certificates of honour were awarded to members with at least five years of service in Luxembourg’s HoReCa sector, in recognition of their long-standing commitment and contribution to the development of the sector.

Awards from the “Lycée Aline Mayrisch & HORESCA” competition were also presented, highlighting talent and educational initiatives related to the hospitality and gastronomy professions.

On behalf of the Board of Directors and the entire federation, Alain Rix expressed his gratitude to members and collaborators who contribute to the dynamism of HORESCA and to the visibility of the HoReCa sector in Luxembourg and beyond.

“HORESCA will continue to actively support professionals in strengthening the attractiveness of these professions, supporting training and helping companies face the economic and societal challenges ahead,” he said.

The title of Secretary General has also been changed to Director General, a role now held by Steve Martellini, the federation noted, explaining that the adjustment aims to better reflect the responsibilities of the position and align HORESCA’s internal organisation with the standards of professional associations.