From left: Imad Askar, Operation Director of Askar Industrial, Mahesh Joshi, Chief Financial Officer at Al Sraiya Hotel and Hospitality Group, Chef Baran Yucel, Chairman of Qatar Culinary Professionals, Miguel Angel Fajardo, Commercial Attache of the Emba
DOHA: With a total of 188 exhibitors, Hospitality Qatar 2018 to be held from November 6 to 8 at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center, has witnessed 21 percent increase in the number of participants, organisers IFP Qatar said yesterday.
The exhibitors to the fourth edition of the annual event come from 20 countries including Algeria, Austria, China, Germany, Greece, India, Iran, Italy, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia Spain, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.
Last year, the event saw 156 exhibitors from 15 countries, which showcased thousands of HORECA supplies and services to over 6,100 visitors.
Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Haidar Mshaimesh, Acting General Manager, IFP Qatar, said Hospitality Qatar 2018 is set to be another successful gathering of the world’s leading hospitality and HORECA companies and industry stalwarts which will showcase the latest insights, strategies, innovation and ingenuity.
“This fourth edition is set to witness an array of exciting shows, competitions and live events demonstrating a lifestyle of excellence which is the mark of Qatari hospitality,” said.
This year, in partnership with Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA), the first-ever conference themed ‘Future of Tourism in Qatar’ will be held on the sidelines of Hospitality Qatar. The three-day conference will focus on innovation and new technologies in tourism development, curating and designing new experiences for family visitors, as well as new initiatives in culinary excellence.
The exhibition will also feature products and services focused on hotel supply and design, franchising and investment, as well as food and beverages. There is also a dedicated B2B Matchmaking programme aimed at connecting exhibitors and visitors and help identify potential business opportunities. Other exciting activities include competitions and live demonstrations by top local and international chefs through the Salon Culinaire, Mocktail Competition, Live Cooking Competition, and Barista Competition.
Mshaimesh said that the continuing growth trajectory of the sector where 41 hotel projects and 11,722 rooms are under construction in Doha, coupled with the continuing increase in tourist arrivals in the country owing to the easing of visa requirements for visitors of more than 80 countries sets a new growth pace in the sector.
“There will be an increasing need for high-quality hospitality and HORECA products and services in lieu of increasing demand for excellence from discerning visitors. Hospitality Qatar 2018 is designed to meet all these growing requirements in the sector and fill the gaps by offering a full-fledged platform that addresses all the hospitality elements under one roof,” he explained.
Of the 20 participating countries, 10 will have their own pavilions at the show including Algeria, China, Greece, India, Iran, Italy, Malaysia, Pakistan, Spain and Turkey.
Burak Guresci, Commercial Counselor at Turkish Embassy, foresees another success for Turkish companies participating at this year’s edition of Hospitality Qatar.
“I believe that this year will be another successful event for Turkish exhibitors because last year many participating Turkish companies signed agreements with Qatari partners and have started distributing products in the Qatari market. This year we have 17 exhibiting companies from Turkey, of which 15 are in food and beverage sector and two in the interior design and furniture sector,” said Guresci.
He said trade figures in the first eight months of this year had shown 100 percent increase in Turkish exports to Qatar as well as huge rise in the share of Turkish exports in the Qatari market.
