THISD Membership
What’s in it for you?
If you have read our Mission statement, you are aware that THISD is first and foremost a
service organization structured to provide content support to the tourism and hospitality
industry to help ‘move the agenda forward’ in terms of better practices. In this regard,
being a member provides you with the opportunity to work with a group of
interdisciplinary professionals to drive this agenda. Being a member of THISD should
suggest that you are willing to devote time, energy and even some limited funds
(membership fees) to support the Mission because, like our founding members, you believe
this is an agenda that is worth the sacrifice. Given the growth of tourism and the ever
increasing transparency of its indirect costs (externalities) our industry will need to be
better prepared to pro-actively respond to growing pressures to limit its impacts or to
mitigate its environmental and socio-cultural costs. Failure in this regard will likely result in
higher costs associated with expanded government regulation and the targeting of NGO
campaigns that may have many undesirable consequences.
We anticipate that members will gain knowledge and experience that will provide professional benefits. THISD will also attempt to secure funding to assist us in our content development and distribution efforts and qualified members will be paid for their time, as funds allow, supporting these efforts. Until such funding is obtained, members will be asked to contribute their time.
Who is qualified to be a member?
Membership to THISD is open to both professionals and organizations. They may be either full or associate members. Students attending institutions of higher education may also participate in the association as student members. (THISD will initiate a Student Chapter program for graduate students attending colleges or universities in tourism or hospitality curriculum's in early 2008).
Full association members may also be referred to as voting members who may take part in association decision making activity requiring the votes of its full members during the annual assembly or at other times as required by the association Executive Committee.
Associate members may be referred to as non-voting members and who represent professionals who support the Mission of THISD but who choose to not to participate in the decision making processes of the organization.
Professional Organizations can choose to have individual members, serve as a Partner Organization or a Sponsoring Organization, or all three.
All members must submit a membership application that will be reviewed monthly by the
Executive Committee. Once approved, members will be required to pay annual membership
fees. The Executive Committee has the right to refuse, without stating the reason, the
membership of an applicant. The membership fee is due at the beginning of the THISD
fiscal year (January and can be pro-rated by full months following acceptance of
membership for applicants during the fiscal year. Only after payment of the membership
fee may a member enjoy the benefits granted to association members according to their
category of membership.
THISD Membership Fees:
THISD annual membership fees are set by the THISD General Assembly (see article 9 of the Constitution) at the annual meeting at the start of the fiscal year. For 2008, the membership fee was set at 150 CHF. This fee will be pro-rated by month following the approval of the membership application by the Executive Committee. This means if your application is approved in June, 2008, the pro-rated membership fee for the remaining 6 months (July-December) would be 75 CHF.