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SUPPLIERS TAP INTO A BOOMING HOTEL INDUSTRY

Barely has the dust settled on the eleventh installment of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM), which concluded in Dubai on May 7, when along comes another event of similar significance to the suppliers of the hospitality industry in the region -The Hotel Show, which will take place on ...

May 17 through 19 at the Airport Expo Dubai, between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.

More than 310 companies from 33 countries will gather under one roof for the region's top hotel supplies event. The exhibition is owned by the UK's Daily Mail Group and also supported by the UK, German, Spanish and South African governments and various Italian regional governments.

Organisers noted that visitors to this year's Hotel Show will meet the full spectrum of suppliers to the hospitality industry, including producers of computer hardware and software, fitness, spa and pool equipment, furniture, interior design, tableware, kitchen equipment, management and reservation systems, telecommunications systems and uniforms.

They pointed out that Dubai's hospitality industry was constantly expanding, with plans to build at least 200 luxury hotels and resorts within the next five years. The reconstruction of Iraq is also expected to present major new opportunities for hotel developers and suppliers, while other developments underlining the scope of Middle East hotel expansion include Bahrain's US $1 billion Amwaj Islands Project, and Oman's US $ 300 million Al Sawadi Resort.

According to travel sources, The Hotel Show attracted in 2002, some 217 companies from 25 countries, and had approximately 5,652 trade visitors. In 2003, the show against all odds weathered the region's storms and attracted exhibitors from 24 countries, representing 212 companies and 5,927 trade visitors.

'The massive amount of hotel development underway in the Middle East has made this a tremendously lucrative market for hotel suppliers,' said Laith Kubba, director of Streamline Marketing, the main organisers of the event, who also said he expected final numbers of exhibitors to be the largest yet. He added that the show was in its fifth successful year, and new projects like Nakheel and 'The Palm' had seen a boom.

'This is a unique sales opportunity for hospitality suppliers to meet the decision makers in the region's booming industry, we have countries like Portugal (with 20 companies) and Turkey participating for the first time, in addition to stabilised ones like the UK, and Germany, which shows there is no substitute to face-to-face meetings,' he said.

Some of the latest and most revolutionary products and services will make their Middle East debut at the show. One of these is the Aqua Massage, which offers a revolutionary way to experience a traditional massage, while remaining fully clothed and dry throughout the treatment. A new collection of wrought iron banqueting furniture and a new line of carpet designs will be launched by one of the UAE's leading interior contractors, JC Maclean Group at the event.

'In line with the group's planned development, JC Maclean has augmented its core fit-out and joinery business to incorporate key manufacturing and installation support companies,' said Talal Sayeed, Director, JC Maclean International.

SunSystems, one of the world's leading software providers, which opened its Dubai office in 2003, will use the event to showcase its financial and business management software solutions, available in 30 languages including Arabic and Farsi. The company will attend The Hotel Show with one of its key partners in the region, Key Information Technology.

'SunSystems is the only product suite in the world that combines world-class financial management systems, powerful planning, forecasting and budgeting capabilities as well as the latest web-based systems,' said Martin Kaczmarek, general manager, SunSystems Dubai office. 'When combined with our experience in the hospitality industry, and that of MICROS-Fidelio, we have a lot to offer to Hotel Show visitors,' said Martin Kaczmarek, general manager for SunSystems in the Middle East. Making a first-time presence at the show are Vescom BV, which is coming to Dubai with over 800 different styles of vinyl and textile wall coverings for hotel designers and contractors to choose from.