HI Design MEA will mark its first outing in 2017, joining the roster of hospitality design events organised by Atticus Events.
Next year, the existing HI Design EMEA will become HI Design Europe, and will focus on the European market. The new HI Design MEA will concentrate on the developing Middle East and Africa region.
The business meetings forum for hospitality interior design, HI Design EMEA debuted in Stockholm in 2006. The event includes meetings, seminars and networking over two-and-a-half days, with each annual event held in a different location.
Both HI Design EMEA and its sister event HI Design Asia, launched in 2009, provide a platform for buyer delegates (hotel operators, interior architects/designers, procurement specialists) and supplier delegates (international suppliers of hospitality FF&E) to be able to meet during a pre-planned programme.
Following demand from suppliers, Atticus Events has decided to split the EMEA forum into two from 2017.
Atticus director Jonathan Needs said: "At last year’s event in Dubrovnik, we had to disappoint many suppliers who wanted to attend, as all available places had been taken. These companies were of course quick to secure a place for this year’s event in Lisbon and, as a result, the 2016 event was sold out before the end of November.
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"Creating two events in 2017 should allow us to offer a compelling, focused opportunity for everyone."
The inaugural HI Design MEA will take place from March 1-3, 2017 at Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort in Muscat, Oman. Atticus is expecting 150 delegates to attend, with places for 60 buyer and 80 supplier delegates available.
Buyer delegates places are offered to corporate design/project executives from operators who are developing in the MEA region, and hospitality interior architecture/design professionals with confirmed projects. A few places are also offered to procurement specialists with contracted projects in the region. Attendance for buyers is by invitation only.
Supplier companies will comprise high quality hospitality FF&E manufacturers from all over the world with the capacity to supply the MEA market.
There will also be a seminar programme led by Atticus event director Guy Dittrich, and a social/networking programme.
Atticus director James Burke added: "We think the time is right to make this move. Yes, we want to be able to offer a HI Design forum to as many people as we can, but more importantly, we are seeing very encouraging signs in the hotel development pipeline in the MEA region. There is sustained activity in the Middle East and steady progress in Africa."
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