Lebanese investor Joumana Dammous Salamé — General Manager of Hospitality Services, owner of the HORECA trademark which is specialized in hospitality, foodservice and hotel industry in the Middle East, confirmed that 3 Arab capitals, in addition to Beirut, now host the annual HORECA convention.
HORECA is regarded as one of the most important yearly exhibitions of the kind taking place in the Middle East and focusing on hotels, restaurants, catering, supply services, and the hospitality industries. It has garnered popularity among concerned experts, specialists and stakeholders since its nascence in Beirut 22 years ago. The same echoes have been noted since HORECA landed in Kuwait and Riyadh — where it has taken place 5 times already — and then when it reached Jordan —where it has happen twice.
Salamé added that HORECA is now attracting a big number of companies at the cutting edge of the hospitality, foodservice and hotel equipment sectors. These companies do not only come from the countries where HORECA is taking place, but are also international. This is due to HORECA’s prominence in the countries that host it, where HORECA is considered a contributor to the development of the
hospitality, foodservice and hotel equipment sectors according to carefully thought-out visions.
The last round of HORECA exhibitions attracted more than 550 exhibitors and 38,000 expert visitors. Competitions and relevant workshops were held on the sidelines of the exhibitions. HORECA events also attract young talent and skills through the variety of competitions that reward creativity, talent, and excellence.
HORECA exhibitions also constitute a platform where local production and hospitality services, the culinary arts, caterers, and hospitality experts all convene to exchange expertise and develop the hospitality, foodservice and hotel equipment sectors.
Nabila Anjari, general manager of Leaders Group for Consulting and Development — which is the organizer of HORECA Kuwait — asserted that the exhibition speaks loud in the hospitality industry and the support and development of tourism, as well as in terms of providing job opportunities for young people and those planning on starting small-scale projects in the fields of catering and foodservice by hooking them up with the appropriate expertise. According to Anjari, Leaders Group was keen on attracting the right expertise to allow for a flow of visions and expertise exchange. This was met by an overwhelming turnout of businessmen and youths interested in investing in this sector.
For his part, Tarek Taktak, general manager of the Saudi Event Management & Marketing Company (SEMARK) — the organizer of HORECA Saudi Arabia — stressed that the event realized substantial success and growth over the five years it was held in Saudi Arabia. The surface area of the venue hosting the event became threefold bigger than that of the event’s first edition. According to Taktak, this is an indicator of success and the Arab investors’ growing trust in HORECA over the last five years. He said that HORECA is now considered one of the most specialized exhibitions in the Middle East.
Thoraya Husseini, general manager of Lawrence & Husseini Consult for Event Planning — the organizer of HORECA Jordan — said that “the Arab nations are still hopefully awaiting the growth of the tourism sector, and hotels are working toward having a stronger presence in promising countries.”
According to international specialized reports, the Middle East and North Africa region will witness the emergence of 700 new hotels — 528 of which are in the planning and construction phases — which will provide opportunities for investors in, among others, technology, security, interior design, and catering.