Traveling and Hosting

The ITHF has grown from the original experiences of an American Rotarian and his wife who "connected" with several Europeans during an extended visit there in 1986. As a result, they discovered many Rotarians who were prepared to offer hospitality as a chance to meet and enjoy fellowship with foreign Rotarians. Thus the idea of ITHF was born. In 1989, an Australian Rotarian and his wife, on tour in the USA, contacted these same Americans. All were members of the Home Exchange Fellowship and had listed their preference to exchange visits rather than houses. The Australians had the same idea. Contact and arrangements were made and from those small beginnings the ITHF has evolved over the past twelve years. The fellowship was formally started at the International Convention in Portland in 1990. Later, adding group tours to the list of member benefits, the ITHF arranged a "Down Under" tour in 1993 for 38 members who traveled through Australia for three weeks staying in the homes of Rotarians. Then, in 1995, 33 members traveled for 16 days through Europe. Subsequently, 73 signed on to a most successful "Celtic Capers" tour of England, Wales, Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland. In 1999, 86 ITHFers congregated in Hong Kong to begin a phenomenal 16 day "Into the Orient" tour which included the International Convention in Singapore. All of our tours are in conjunction with International Conventions and so in 2000 56 members met in Rio de Janiero to tour into Buenos Aires and just this summer we had 75 members tour through Portugal and Spain on the way to the Barcelona International Convention. From a simple start in Portland, with 300 members, we have grown to 2800 members and and spouses in 350 districts and in 70 countries. Most new members are signed up at the International Conventions and we had 107 join us in Barcelona.

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