The hotels, restaurants and cafes exhibition (HORECA ) kicked off today under the auspices of Dr Saud Hamoud al Habsi, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Water Resources at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre in Muscat .
The two-day industry event , organised by Oman based Al Nimr Expo and Lebanon based Hospitality Services, aims to showcase the latest trends within the hospitality sector.
Speaking to the Observer, co-founder and managing director of Hospitality Services, Joumana Dammous-Salamé, explained the concept behind the event.
“The idea is for people to network to discover the latest technology, latest services, and the latest equipment available to plan for the future of their businesses and for the industry.”
The event includes a vendor exhibition, multiple cooking competitions and various workshops.
“This year, more than a hundred exhibitors are participating, and more than 200 participants are participating in competitions. We have a line of [ approximately] 20 guests, experts, celebrity judges, chefs coming locally and from the region.” shared Dammous-Salamé.
When asked about the major trends within the industry, Dammous- Salamé shared that there’s a shift towards wellness and sustainability.
In 2021, the tourism sector contributed 2.4 per cent to the country’s GDP according to the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI). The Sultanate of Oman plans to increase the sector's contribution to the GDP to 5 per cent by 2030, and to 10 per cent by 2040.
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