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Trade associations are perfectly lawful organizations. However, since a trade association is, by definition,
an organization of competitors, HEDNA members must take precautions to ensure that they do not engage in
activities that can be interpreted as violating existing anti-trust or anti-competitive agreements in various
parts of the world. For any activity that is deemed to unreasonably restrain trade, the Association and its
members may be subject to legal penalties, regardless of otherwise beneficial objectives.
To ensure that all meetings and gatherings are conducted in strict compliance to any such laws and agreements
in any part of the world, the HEDNA Code of Conduct is to be distributed and/or read aloud at all such gatherings.
There will be no discussion of room rates, surcharges, conditions, market share, terms or prices of services,
allocating or sharing of customers, refusing to deal with a particular supplier or class of suppliers or
other competitively sensitive topics. Neither serious nor flippant remarks will be permitted. Also, any
publications or handouts containing such information shall not be distributed or made available to competitors.
Because the members of the organization are expected to behave professionally at all times, which includes
acting in accordance with all applicable laws, negative, disparaging or discrediting comments regarding
other members, corporations or competitors, or their goods or services, will not be tolerated.
HEDNA may not issue recommendations on any of the above subjects or distribute to its members any
publications concerning such matters. No discussions that directly or indirectly fix purchase or
selling prices may take place. Standards or certification requirements for membership must give equal
conditions to all similar parties.
All HEDNA related meetings should be conducted in accordance with a previously prepared and distributed
agenda. ALL HEDNA meeting agendas will contain standard elements, including (but not limited to):
- Educating membership
- Improving GDS functionality and technical progress
- Improving the distribution of hotel products through electronic means.
Actions inconsistent with the above terms will be considered violations of this Code of Conduct.
The Board of Directors reserves the right to take whatever actions it deems necessary to ensure
compliance with this Code, or address a violation of the Code of Conduct.
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