Lebanese investor Joumana Dammous Salamé — General Manager of Hospitality Services, owner of the HORECA trademark which is specialised in hospitality, foodservice and hotel industry in the Middle East, confirmed that three Arab capitals, in addition to Beirut, now host the annual HORECA convention.
HORECA 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 five times already — and then when it reached Jordan —where it has happen twice.
Salamé added that HORECA is now attracting a big number of international companies at the cutting edge of the hospitality, foodservice and hotel equipment sectors.
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. The last round of HORECA exhibitions attracted more than 550 exhibitors and 38,000 expert visitors.
Tarek Taktak, general manager of the Saudi Event Management & Marketing Company (SEMARK) — the organizer of HORECA Saudi Arabia — stressed that the event realised substantial success and growth over the five years it was held in Saudi Arabia. The surface area of the venue 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.
According to international specialised 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.
