AICR Austria Committee Members
Sandra Hösl
President AICR Austria & Hotel Manager InterContinental Vienna
Since I left the Kindergarten I was interested in the hospitality industry. My grandparents run a restaurant in Vienna and my mother used to work for them. Serving guests and make them happy was a passion I grew up with. During schooldays I started to work in restaurants and bars already. After my graduation I worked a short period in a travel agency but I realized that a nine-to-five job did not make me happy. 2008 I had the option to start at the InterContinentalVienna, a few days passed and I knew that I am at the right place. Every day a new experience, new people and great colleagues are just a few of the reasons why a Hotel like the InterContinental Vienna is the best place to work. In 2013 I joined the AICR Vienna and was a quiet member of this fabulous association. After getting more comfortable with my position at work I started to be a more active part of the AICR Vienna. When Hani El-Sharkawi asked in 2014 who would like to help organising the international Congress 2016 in Vienna I was hooked. Since them I am more than happy to be part of this great association.
Helmut Sommer
Treasurer AICR Austria - Hospitality Business Development Officer - Gitone BeteiligungsgmbH
I have been in the hospitality since 1989, with a few breaks in between, thinking that other industries might be "better". With advanced age, I have to admit that I simply love being surrounded by colleagues and guests and having the joyful delight of having a vast variety of tasks on a daily, even hourly basis. I joined AICR Austria in 2004 and took over the treasury from our longest serving AICR member, Andreas Plischke-Delabro in 2009. Hospitality is my world, AICR is much more than a networking platform to me, it is a possibility of being surrounded by professionals who share the same passion - the wellbeing of our guests, regardless of city, country, hotel or brand.
Sophia Anker
Secretary AICR Austria & Senior Sales Manager Smart Host
Since I was a child I always enjoyed travelling around during our holidays and discover different countries and cultures. I was the child who was standing behind the bar helping the staff by polishing the glasses or preparing my own dessert – that’s how my journey has begun. I was always getting more and more interested in the tourism industry, so I made the decision to visit a school which is focused on it. I visited the tourism school “Villa Blanka” in Innsbruck and finished my high school diploma in Hotel Management in June 2017. Afterwards I moved to Vienna and started to work as a receptionist at the renowned “Grand Hotel Wien”. After one year I had the pleasure to represent the hotel at the “ROTY – Receptionist of the year” and so I became part of AICR – which is not only a networking group, no it is much more – the AICR is a wonderful group of inspiring people, who are sharing their passion for the hotel industry as no other.
Daniel Fleischhacker
Vice President & Hotel Manager Alpenhotel Kaiserfels
I graduated from the Tourism Schools of Bad Gleichenberg, Austria, in 2011, having nurtured a passion for the world of hoteliers and gastronomy since my early childhood. My enthusiasm for hosting and creating memorable experiences was evident from a young age, as I eagerly took on the role of the host at family gatherings and among friends. At 19, I took a bold step and ventured abroad to expand my horizons and gain hands-on experience in the international hospitality sector. Over the years, I have had the privilege of working with the prestigious Kempinski Hotel group, where I honed my skills in the Front Office. My career has taken me to diverse and vibrant locations, including two enriching years in Dubai, followed by two years in China, where I worked in Yinchuan and Shanghai. This was followed by three years in the picturesque region of Tyrol and two years on the breathtaking Seychelles islands. Since 2020, I have returned to Austria completely and am now working as Head of Experience at the esteemed Hotel Sacher Salzburg. In this role, I am dedicated to crafting exceptional experiences for our guests, drawing on my extensive international experience and deep-rooted passion for hospitality.
