Hotec Middle East has attracted 13 new suppliers to this year’s event, in addition to its usual loyal base of regular delegates and six suppliers that are returning after an absence of one or two years.
Companies that will join the 2011 forum include Imagine Hospitality Interiors, Minibar Enterprises and Bittel Electronics.
In total, the event — being held at Le Méridien Amman in Jordan from April 15-18 — has attracted 75-80 supplier delegates and 65-70 buyers, including hotel operators, owners, architects and consultants.
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Event director Stephen Pace-Bonello said: “In general, what attracts new suppliers is the promise of getting the undivided attention from the buyers they choose to meet during the one-to-one meetings. This is practically impossible to repeat during traditional trade shows and can only be achieved by visiting buyers offices, which will take a lot longer than the three days of the event.
“Some of the new suppliers have attended Hotec in other regions and are ‘fans’ of the event and its format, while we have a number of new suppliers who have been referred to Hotec by some of the buyers who have attended previous events and by other suppliers who have found the event beneficial to them,” he added.
Pace-Bonello said that recent political events in the Middle East had caused some delegates to opt out, but that the mood of Hotec 2011 would be “typical of other Hotecs”.
Returning supplier delegates this year include A.Ronai, Dedon, Dometic AB, Groupe GM, Lasvit, Safemark Systems, Safran, Texlynx and Vingcard Elsafe.
Safran business development manager Bruce Anderson said he would be returning for the second year to “re-establish contacts” formed in 2010.
“We are back again this year to show our commitment to the Middle East market as a long term programme. We are not just in for a fast take, but a genuine implantation,” said Anderson.
He asserted that despite the turmoil, “existing projects would be pushed through”.
Of the mood at Hotec, Anderson added: “There won’t be fat wallets being waved about, but we have to be positive and suck the most out of it”.
Dedon international contract director Angel Salvador said that Hotec 2010 had been very successful and that while the market was uncertain, he hoped Hotec would provide a forum to “talk about the future”.
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