Hospitality Qatar 2018 draws more than 7,000 visitors
Hospitality Qatar 2018, which hosted the firstever conference on the ‘Future of Tourism in Qatar’ in partnership with the National Tourism Council (NTC), concluded on a high note with the attendance of more than 7,000 visitors, the organisers said.
The ‘Future of Tourism in Qatar’ conference explored design, innovation, and smart technologies within various sessions comprising six panel discussions, eight presentations and interactive talks, with the participation of senior Qatari officials, tourism industry leaders, international experts, guests, and celebrities from around the world, as well as several leading government and private entities in Qatar.
Industry analysts noted that the show has managed to give a strong boost to the local tourism and hospitality industry, which is viewed as one of the major pillars and drivers for economic growth and as an essential element to the country’s efforts towards economic diversification, falling in line with the agenda of Qatar National Vision 2030.
Industry experts noted that this edition further reaffirmed Hospitality Qatar’s position as a strategic platform for business and networking opportunities for the hospitality and hotel/ restaurant/café (Horeca) industry in the Middle East, with over 400 B2B meetings held during the event, and the launch of new products - from food service equipment for the manufacturing sector to a wide range of ready to use products for the consumer market brought in by over 20 countries.
IFP acting general manager Haidar Msheimesh said, “It is a proud moment for all of us as we closed another successful edition of ‘Hospitality Qatar’ to add to the many successes we have achieved this year.
“The event has undoubtedly become the highlight of the hospitality sector’s calendar in Qatar and reflects the country’s status in the global hospitality industry. We highly commend the professionalism and creativity of all our partners and exhibitors, and wish them even more successes and accomplishments in the coming editions.”
More than 188 local, regional and international Horeca companies and hospitality professionals, participated in the exhibitions, while over 300 chefs from more than 50 hotels and restaurants took part in ‘Salon Culinaire’, one of the main features of the event.
This year’s edition also featured a new initiative for young chefs that effectively put a spotlight on the country’s emerging talents. Live cooking of signature dishes, creative presentations of celebration and wedding cakes, Arabic mezza and Qatari festive foods, and barista and bartender mocktail competitions were also among the activities that took place during the three days and culminated with an awarding ceremony.