New Sharjah show promises region's hospitality and catering sector

The hospitality and catering industry is set to get the perfect recipe to boost growth, a kitchen equipment exhibition that is a first in the region. The inaugural Kitchen Equipment and Technology Exhibition will be held at Expo Centre Sharjah along with the second OIC Halal Middle East Exhibition and Congress from December 16th to 18th, 2013. "It is a known fact that about half of the hospitality sector's revenues in the region come from the food and beverage service segment. The Kitchen Equipment and Technology Exhibition will provide the sector with a great opportunity to source cutting-edge, innovative kitchen technology to cater for a multi-ethnic population and the millions of tourists who arrive in the country," said Saif Mohammed Al Midfa, CEO, Expo Centre Sharjah. The hotel and hospitality market in the UAE is forecast to grow at double-digit rates a year for the next four years, dramatically outpacing growth in the overall economy, pointing to a rise in demand for specialised requirements for food storage, preparation and handling technologies and products. According to latest reports, the Middle East and Africa region's hotel development pipeline comprises 491 hotels totalling 120,795 rooms, while in the GCC, the hospitality market is anticipated to grow at an annual rate of 8.1 per cent to USD 28.3 billion by 2016 compared to USD 19.2 billion in 2011. The UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia account for a major part of the Middle East's USD 6 billion worth of hotel projects that are due for completion by the end of the year. The show will also feature the Chefs' Corner, a live-demo and activity area that will inform and educate chefs and kitchen equipment buyers on the latest technology in kitchen equipment.