Answers found in the GHACP Database:
Congratulations, you recently started a new position as director of finance at a resort in a remote tropical paradise. You decided you were ready for a change of pace from the big city hotel scene and now you are wondering what you got yourself into. You are facing a major learning curve when it comes to the unique items you encounter at this property. Items like mosquito netting, fishing nets, bird houses, and hammocks are all new to you. You have complete confidence in your predecessor and accounting staff, but want to confirm that everything is recorded in the right place.
Or, maybe, you are the chief financial officer at a club and the recreation director at your property started taking boxing lessons and he thinks it would be a great idea to put together a boxing class for the club membership. Now, you need to figure out where to record punching bags, boxing gloves, hand wraps, and other supplies to develop this program.
Where do you turn for accounting answers? To the authority on all things accounting, finance, and technology in the hospitality industry: Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP). In 2011, HFTP set forth to gather common accounting practices around the globe. The association brought together a team of experts who collected information from regions around the world and this data has been consolidated into the GHACP database. The Global Hospitality Accounting Common Practices (GHACP) is a free resource to members of HFTP, and non-members can gain access for a nominal fee at http://www.hftp.org/hospitality_resources/accounting_practices/.
Now, to get back to answering the questions from above. According to the regional data collected, the following are the departments and accounts for these items in the GHACP. To access regional information on these items and many more, visit the GHACP webpage on the HFTP website. In addition to the information in the GHACP database, HFTP is also embarking on a project to include definitions for each item on PineappleSearch.com®. Currently, there is a selection available and the complete addition of 5,000+ GHACP database documents is in progress through 2017. Also, the GHACP website has been redesigned and integrated into the HFTP website.
| Item Name | Department | Account Name |
| Mosquito Netting | Rooms | Operating Supplies |
| Fishing Nets and Poles | Leisure, Health Club and Spa | Athletic Equipment |
| Bird Houses | Rooms | Decorations |
| Hammocks | Rooms | Operating Supplies |
| Snail Fences | Rooms | Other Expense |
| Punching Bags | Health Club and Spa | Athletic Supplies |
| Boxing Gloves | Health Club and Spa | Athletic Supplies |
| Hand Wraps | Health Club and Spa | Athletic Supplies |
This information may be about global accounting practices, but it certainly is not meant strictly for those in the hospitality accounting and finance community. Have you ever been curious about the unique items found in clubs, hotels, and resorts around the world? Well, you have come to the right place. Other interesting items in the GHACP include: veterinarian services, beakers, dog food, mirror balls, Hammam clocks, consumable animals, crowd control barriers, night vision goggles, and animal traps. If you are like many of the GHACP council members reviewing these items, you may ask, “What are consumable animals?” To answer your question, this item refers to animals such as live lobsters and fish kept in a tank in the food and beverage department.
If you have encountered any unusual items at your property that you would like to share, please send them to HFTP at http://www.hftp.org/hospitality_resources/accounting_practices/. The items will be analyzed by the GHACP Council of experts and entered into the GHACP database. This is a great way to share your knowledge and help out fellow hospitality accounting and finance professionals.
Check out this video on the GHACP!
Tanya Venegas, MBA, MHM, CHIA is the executive director at the HFTP Americas Research Center at the Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management at the University of Houston. Contact Tanya via email at tmvenegas@uh.edu or via phone at 713-743-1839.
