IH&RA cancels annual convention

The International Hotel and Restaurant Association has postponed its annual convention in Egypt next month because speakers and delegates are afraid to fly there after last week's attacks on the USA.

A spokesman for the IH&RA said between 600 and 700 visitorshad been expected at the convention, which was due to open in Cairo on 27 October at the CICC Conference Centre. A series of meetings were then planned to be held in the Royale Meridien in Cairo over the following days to 30 October.

But he said hundreds of guests and speakers from around the world had rung up to cancel last week in the wake of the attacks in New York and Washington and the IH&RA had decided it would be best to delay the planned event.