✦ IMPACT & REACH ✦
The References Odyssey
Founded in 2001, References Hôteliers Restaurateurs International was created with a single mission: to chronicle the art of hospitality in Europe and to give voice to the professionals who shape it. Over the years, the magazine has established itself as a trusted editorial reference, combining journalistic rigor with cultural depth and a refined narrative style. Nearly twenty-five years later, References remains a unique voice in European hospitality, offering thoughtful content, in-depth analysis, and interviews with leading figures across the industry.
✦ European Hotel Awards — La Genèse ✦
In 2018, this editorial heritage gave birth to the European Hotel Awards, conceived not as a ranking or a simple contest, but as a stage of recognition and visibility. The Awards became the natural extension of the magazine’s DNA: celebrating excellence while offering a platform of prestige and credibility to hoteliers, restaurateurs, and their partners. What began as an editorial authority transformed into a genuine ecosystem, bringing together media, events, and influence under one banner. The European Hotel Awards add a ceremonial dimension to this editorial strength, turning written recognition into a visible, living label of excellence.
A Premium B2B Niche
We do not chase mass audiences. We speak to decision-makers. General Managers, hotel owners, restaurateurs, F&B directors, designers, investors and specialised media form the core of our readership. In this market, quality outweighs quantity: one qualified reader here is worth twenty casual readers elsewhere.
✦ Our Audience in Brief ✦
Our platforms welcome 210,000+ unique visitors annually, generate 360,000–420,000 visits and 1.0–1.2 million page views per year. We average 720–820 daily active users. On LinkedIn, posts reach up to 32,000 views, accounting for 700,000+ interactions per year. Based on Google Analytics 4 daily reports.
✦ Positioning in the European Media Landscape ✦
With over 210,000 annual readers and more than 1.2 million page views per year, the European Hotel Awards and References magazine are positioned at the very top of the European hospitality media ecosystem.
While global giants such as Skift or Hospitality Net reach millions of users worldwide, our platforms stand out as a premium and influential European niche media reaching far higher levels of digital impact than traditional hospitality trade magazines, and offering a uniquely targeted and engaged B2B audience.
Engagement That Matters
Our audience is not passive. They return frequently (nearly 40% more visits than unique visitors), they explore deeply (multiple pages per session), and they interact with intent. This loyalty and active behaviour demonstrate influence, not just visibility. Engagement has become our true measure of impact.
The European Hotel Awards as a Quality Label
More than a ceremony, the European Hotel Awards have become a recognised quality label. Laureates proudly display the emblem as a sign of trust; sponsors align their brand with prestige and credibility; media and agencies rely on it as a benchmark for European hospitality. The label travels — across brochures, websites, press kits and social media — carrying the quiet authority of excellence.
✦ An Editorial–Event–Digital Ecosystem ✦
References (editorial authority), the European Hotel Awards (prestige stage), and our digital channels (impact amplification) operate together to deliver continuous visibility — before, during and after the Awards. This consolidation creates a virtuous circle of credibility and resonance that benefits sponsors, laureates, and media partners alike.
Why It Matters
For sponsors, it means meaningful visibility at the heart of the industry. For laureates, it means lasting recognition carried by a quality label. For media and agencies, it means stories worth telling, framed in a way that elevates their clients and projects. Together, these three dimensions — editorial, event, digital — define the strength of our impact and reach.
Legacy, Growth, Continuity
Founded in 2001, References is approaching a quarter of a century of uninterrupted publication. The European Hotel Awards, launched in 2018, are already a tradition. Together, they embody both heritage and innovation, continuity and expansion — a living odyssey of European hospitality that grows stronger each year.
✦ Figures are indicative and based on internal analytics. Non-contractual data. ✦
✦ This page is confidential and intended exclusively for the following recipients: laureates of the European Hotel Awards, sponsors, partners, and members of selection commitee of the European Hotel Awards. It is neither public nor indexed, and access is subject to IP address verification.✦
✦ Any person or entity not included in the aforementioned categories breaches confidentiality rules.
