Hotel Show to boost confidence in region’s hospitality market

The Hotel Show (THS) Dubai 2021 is excited to share key highlights to look out for at the 21st edition of the trade show, which will be returning live and in-person from May 31st to June 2nd, 2021 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

The Hotel Show Dubai (THS Dubai) is the largest event of its kind in the region and will connect industry leaders from over 20 countries for the first time in more than a year, making up for time missed during the pandemic.

Visitors can look forward to three days of engaging networking and rich inspiration, enhanced with a world-class line-up of conferences and seminars, supplemented with a host of live competitions and demonstrations.

International participants at this year’s show are predicting the 21st edition to unveil a wealth of trade and tourism insights, as well as solidify restored confidence in the region’s growing hospitality market.

Experts predict that the UAE will be one of the fastest tourism markets in the world to recover from the pandemic, due to its strong governance and regulatory framework, and rapid vaccination roll-out. Muhammed Khomeini, Director of Indonesian Trade Promotion centre and organiser of the official Indonesian pavilion comments; “Nine Indonesian manufacturers are participating at the Hotel Show Dubai. Dubai has been rated the safest city in the world for business and leisure travellers. The city’s rapid economic and exponential recovery only reinforces the confidence industry leaders have in the UAE’s vision of the future and its leadership.”

A survey conducted by GRS in partnership with The Hotel Show Dubai resulted in some promising statistics on the industry’s current situation, reinforcing the positive outlook for businesses and individuals within the hotel and leisure sector.

The survey showed that some 80 per cent of business owners in the industry are expecting an improvement for the second half of this year, in contrast to the second half of 2020.

Additionally, 82% of the industry’s business owners expect an improvement for the second half of 2021 in comparison to the first half of 2021. Notably, 56% of the surveyed hotel owners also believe their hotels are delivering a “better experience to their guests today than before Covid-19.” When asked what the two most important factors to consider when choosing a supplier, 65 per cent of industry business owners said quality and 35 per cent said reliability. Finally, more than half of hotel owners are actively recruiting, demonstrating the industry’s remarkable turnaround in recent weeks. Yves Tarabout, General Manager at Sheraton Mall of the Emirates adds; “The statistics from the GRS survey are a resounding example of the outstanding response from the UAE government over the past 14 months. The local hospitality industry is rebuilding at pace, and we are already seeing vast improvements in operations across all sectors. It’s a remarkable achievement and testament to the resilience of the region and its commitment to being a global destination for leisure and tourism.”

Jasmeet Bakshi, Group Director Hospitality notes; “The theme of this year’s show is ‘Reconnecting Hospitality’, a theme reflected in the five sector specific conferences and two upbeat features taking place throughout the event. We are excited for a fantastic guest experience.”

The Hospitality Leadership Forum will provide an unparalleled opportunity to share face time with the industry’s most effective leaders, as they offer up analysis of how they’ve adjusted their operational structures and tactics

over this period and provide candid insights on how they’re positioning their businesses for the recovery. Attendees will gain insight into how the industry’s leadership think, create, manage and develop critical elements of their properties and what they’re planning next during.

Taking centre stage, HITEC Dubai 2021 will be offering an intensive education programme planned by an Advisory Council comprised of world-renowned hospitality technologists from some of the region’s best hotels and resorts.

This year, excellence, flexibility, innovation, and efficiency in housekeeping management stands at the very forefront of hotels’ ability to function properly and attract guests. The 2021 UAE Professional Housekeepers Group Meeting will be the first public gathering of regional housekeeping professionals since the beginning of 2020. Leading housekeeping experts and practitioners will be holding interactive, in-depth discussions and tutorials on all aspects of their profession and offering advice on how to maintain excellence in the face of new market conditions, new technologies, new techniques, constraints, regulations and products. The meeting will also take stock on new guest behaviours and perceptions and how these can be accommodated.

The F&B Stakeholders Summit hosts industry experts and practitioners in one place, at one time, for a series of highly focused and candid live discussions revealing their plans and strategies for the upcoming year and beyond, after the most challenging period in living history for the food and beverage sector.