The Middle East’s leading hospitality event The Hotel Show Dubai returns this September and the organisers are promising its most hands-on hospitality experience to date.
Gathering more than 30,000 international decision-makers, the annual exhibition is the premier platform for the Gulf’s ever-growing hotel industry, renowned for being the one-stop shop where general managers, buyers, restauranteurs and developers can get their hands on products for every element of their guest experience, from décor, furniture and in-room technologies, to F&B supplies, gym and leisure equipment and more.
Now in its 19th year, The Hotel Show, which will be spread over seven halls at the Dubai World Trade Centre, will offer a 360-degree showcase of modern hospitality. At the heart of that will be a raft of interactive features, live competitions and discussion seminars that will give a platform to those who are the lifeblood of the hotel and tourism industry, from housekeepers and sous chefs to property owners and franchisees.
Event director Gary Williams says: “The Hotel Show exists to be the ultimate resource for fitting-out, decorating and equipping hotels. That’s a role we’ve loved playing for the last 18 years and one that has allowed us to serve what continues to be a growing community of hoteliers with new innovations and insight year-upon-year.
“It’s that community that we now aim to fully tailor The Hotel Show Dubai to, from top to bottom. We want to celebrate the unsung heroes of the hospitality world, and present a three-day opportunity for those at any stage of their career to meet new people, learn, do business and show-off their unique skill sets. From aiding professional advancement to introducing buyers to suppliers, The Hotel Show wants to harness talent, advise on global trends and give direct access to the firms and people that will help your business grow.
“In line with that, our 2018 show will welcome back our GM-focused leadership conference, with perhaps the most varied yet niche seminar agenda yet. The hugely-successful Middle East Housekeepers’ League of Champions returns too, after drawing nearly 20 different teams of hotel staff to its debut last year,” he adds.
“Add to that mix our annual MEHA awards and more than 600 international exhibitors, our 19th edition promises to be an unmissable few days for everyone involved in the region’s outstanding hotel and hospitality industry.”
Taking place at the Dubai World Trade Centre from 16-18 September, here are six early reasons to get this year’s show in your diary.
- The Middle East Leadership Conference
Taking place over The Hotel Show Dubai’s three-day duration, the highly influential talks will welcome a pool of more than 50 speakers, all of whom will be of general manager position or above, making it the forum for hospitality-based discussion, debate and learning. Last year’s speakers included Issam Kazim, CEO of DTCM, alongside GMs from a plethora of leading hotel brands like Jumeirah Group, Four Seasons, Radisson, Ritz-Carlton, Roda, Oberoi, Waldorf Astoria, Accor and Marriott, as well as key industry influencers like Expedia, JLL, STR Global and Booking.com.
- The Middle East Housekeepers’ League of Champions FOR AARON: IMAGE 1 TO BE PLACED HERE
A simple yet thrilling live concept: A pair of typical hotel rooms, complete with bedding, curtains, flooring and entertainment facilities are set-up back to back, then trashed. Two teams at a time compete head-to-head to put the room back to its original state in just seven minutes, with a knock-out competition whittling the predicted 30 entrants down to one eventual winner over three-days.
- The Middle East Hospitality Awards
The Middle East Hotel Awards re-branded last year to be more reflective of how hotels have evolved in recent years. Now, the new look Middle East Hospitality Awards honour not just the hotels, but the restaurants, bars, spas, sporting facilities, event and nightlife venues that help make this region such a draw for tourists. Considered the central social and networking function of the three-day get-together, the awards, which take place in the glitzy ballroom of the Ritz-Carlton DIFC on 16 September, the first night of The Hotel Show, recognise 17 categories and provide a richly-deserved opportunity to celebrate the most outstanding properties, projects and people in the Middle East’s vibrant hospitality industry over the past year.
- The Chefs Table
An on-site contest that’ll really turn up the heat on the region’s leading hotel kitchens, The Chef’s Table will pit head chefs and their teams from 12 Middle East hotels against each other in a timed cooking competition, where the ingredients won’t be revealed until the countdown clock starts ticking. Sponsored by Carrefour and judged by four chefs, led by Chef Uwe Micheel, president, Emirates Culinary Guild, each three-hour battle will see three full lunches and three dinner menus cooked-up daily.
- CIAAD Talks
Curated exclusively for The Hotel Show by the Dubai-based Council for International Accreditation of Architecture & Design (CIAAD), this three-day talk agenda will discuss the many opportunities and challenges that design can bring to a hotel space. What do millennials want from design and how can this be balanced with the needs of traditional travellers? Expert panellists, all of whom are members of CIAAD, will answer these questions and many more.
- Number of attendees
Spread across sections dedicated to interiors, lighting and design, technology and security, operating equipment, bathroom and sanitary ware and HoReCa, more than 600 exhibitor stands will fill The Hotel Show Dubai floor with organisers expecting to welcome in excess of 30,000 visitors. By far the region’s biggest dedicated hotel exhibition, the show offers unrivalled networking and business growth opportunities.
To find out more about The Hotel Show Dubai at the Dubai World Trade Centre, visit www.thehotelshow.com
