The Hotel Show Dubai is set to return in September 2018 – and the organisers are promising its most hands-on hospitality experience to date.

Gathering more than 30,000 international decision-makers, the annual exhibition allows GMs, buyers, restaurateurs and developers to get their hands on products for every element of the guest experience — from décor, furniture and in-room technologies, to F&B supplies, gym and leisure equipment, and everything in between. Now in its 19th year, the show will be spread over seven halls at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

Event director Gary Williams said in a statement: “The Hotel Show exists to be the ultimate resource for fitting-out, decorating and equipping hotels. That’s a role we’ve loved playing for the last 18 years — and one that has allowed us to serve what continues to be a growing community of hoteliers with new innovations and insight year-upon-year.

“It’s that community that we now aim to fully tailor The Hotel Show Dubai to, from top to bottom. We want to celebrate the unsung heroes of the hospitality world, and present a three-day opportunity for those at any stage of their career to meet new people, learn, do business and show-off their unique skillsets. From aiding professional advancement to introducing buyers to suppliers, The Hotel Show wants to harness talent, advise on global trends and give direct access to the firms and people that will help your business grow.”

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So here are six reasons to get this year’s show firmly in your diary:

1. The Middle East Leadership Conference

Taking place over the show’s three-day duration, the talks will welcome more than 50 speakers, all of whom will be of general manager position or above, making it the forum for hospitality-based discussion, debate and learning.  Last year’s speakers included Issam Kazim, CEO of DTCM, alongside GMs from hotel brands like Jumeirah Group, Four Seasons, Radisson, Ritz-Carlton, Roda, Oberoi, Waldorf Astoria, Accor and Marriott, as well as industry influencers like Expedia, JLL, STR and Booking.com.

2. The Middle East Housekeepers’ League of Champions

A pair of typical hotel rooms — complete with bedding, curtains, flooring and entertainment facilities — are set-up back to back…then trashed. Two teams at a time compete head-to-head to put the room back to its original state in seven minutes, with a knock-out competition whittling the predicted 30 entrants down to one eventual winner. First hosted at last year’s show, the contest’s debut winner was the Fairmont Dubai. Can the team hold on to their crown?

3. The Middle East Hospitality Awards

The Middle East Hotel Awards rebranded last year to be more reflective of how hotels have evolved in recent years. Now, the new look Middle East Hospitality Awards honour not just hotels, but restaurants, bars, spas, sporting facilities, event and nightlife venues that help make this region a draw for tourists. The awards — which take place at the Ritz-Carlton DIFC on the first night of The Hotel Show (September 16) — include 17 categories, and provide an opportunity to celebrate the most outstanding properties, projects and people in the Middle East’s hospitality industry over the last year.

4. The Chef’s Table

The Chef’s Table will pit head chefs and their teams from 12 Middle Eastern hotels against each other in a timed cooking competition, where the ingredients won’t be revealed until the countdown clock starts ticking. Sponsored by Carrefour and judged by four expert chefs, led by Uwe Micheel, president of the Emirates Culinary Guild, each three-hour battle will see three full lunches and three dinner menus cooked daily.

5. CIAAD Talks

Curated exclusively for The Hotel Show by the Dubai-based Council for International Accreditation of Architecture & Design (CIAAD), this three-day talk agenda will discuss the opportunities and challenges that design can bring to a hotel space. What do millennials want from design? How can this be balanced with the needs of traditional travellers? And how can that be achieved through design? Expert panellists, all of whom are members of CIAAD, will answer these questions and a whole many more.

6. Huge number of attendees

Spread across sections dedicated to interiors, lighting & design, technology & security, operating equipment, bathroom & sanitary ware and horeca, more than 600 exhibitor stands will fill The Hotel Show Dubai floor, with organisers expecting to welcome in excess of 30,000 visitors. By far the region’s biggest dedicated hotel exhibition, the show offers unrivalled networking and business growth opportunities for anyone at any stage of their career in hospitality.

To find out more about The Hotel Show Dubai, taking place on September 16-18 at DWTC, visit www.thehotelshow.com.