HORECA OMAN DRAWS CLOSER

The first edition of HORECA Oman will be taking place at Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre, Muscat, from May 31 to June 2, 2022. We take a look at what’s on the horizon at the must-attend event for hospitality and foodservice professionals.

Organized by Hospitality Services, the Beirut-based large-scale event organizer, HORECA is considered a premier meeting place for the hospitality and foodservice industries, with a history spanning almost three decades.

Oman’s entry to the HORECA network — which comprises Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Jordan — signals an important step for the sultanate’s foodservice and hospitality industries. Indeed, the international event, co-organized by Al Nimr Expo, will feature an exhibition of products, services, equipment and technologies, providing buyers with an unparalleled opportunity to meet key players and do business. It also serves as an educational and entertainment platform that showcases young talent through various culinary, bar and hospitality competitions, live cooking demonstrations as well as B2B meetings, networking sessions and panel discussions with industry leaders and specialists.

Nader Abbas, managing director of Al Nimr Expo, said: "Oman is a lucrative and prospect-laden market for investors, suppliers and international companies seeking partnerships and ways to expand their businesses and operations in the fields of hospitality and foodservice. We are delighted to partner with Hospitality Services to organize HORECA Oman, a much-needed trade and business platform relevant to the ongoing largescale hotel and resort development and food-related projects across the sultanate.”

Maha El Khoury, project and sales director at Hospitality Services, added: “More than 100 of the most promising chefs, culinary students, baristas and mixologists will go head-to-head in a series of live cooking, display challenges, barista, latte art and mocktail competitions that will really test their skills.”

According to El Khoury, the forthcoming show has garnered a significant amount of interest from regional and international exhibitors. “To date, 90 percent of the exhibition space has been booked. We have 11 international pavilions confirmed, including Lebanon, Jordan, KSA, UAE and Poland," she explained.