Muscat all set to host food and hotel show next month

Muscat will host a three-day Food and Hotel Oman 2011, an exhibition covering a wide gamut of latest products, services, equipment and technology for hospitality operations from December 5 to 7 at the Oman International Exhibition Centre (OIEC).

Addressing a press conference yesterday, Abdullah Beg, senior projects manager, Oman Expo, said that the expo intends to bring together international and local players in the food and hotel segment on one platform so that they can showcase their products and services to the Oman's burgeoning food industry.

Exhibits from several parts of the world should benefit Oman with its rapidly growing economy and expanding consumer base. Important players in the food and hotel domain will put up shops for trade visitors who are expected to be around 5,000.

Abdullah Beg said, "We will have a pavilion from Singapore, UAE and UK besides a number of companies from Sri Lanka, Italy, KSA among others. A total of about 100 overseas and local companies will display their products at the Food expo which will be inaugurated by Khalil bin Abdullah Al Khonji, chairman of Oman chamber of commerce and industry.

Eihab Abutaha, CEO for Communications of Sabco Group, in a statement said, "Food & Hotel Oman is not just another hospitality event. It is a platform by which the demands of the sector are met, investment is encouraged, and trade and business opportunities are created. With the introduction of this newest feature, it offers a venue to showcase local culinary talent and Omani culinary heritage as well."

Abdullah said, "The show assumes importance in the context of the Oman's food import policy and efforts toward providing food security and also massive development in hotel industry has brought in an increasing number of tourists here. The Sultanate is the right destination to do business with its buoyant economy, stable polity and vast opportunities for both investment and trade, and this expo is the right platform to display their products and services."

"Oman is known all over for picturesque scenery and exciting tourists sights but what is lacking is the proper marketing of Oman as a right place to do business. Oman has the right infrastructure and an excellent set up of hyper markets and time is opportune for the world players to take full advantage of this, he added.

The Food expo was started its first run in 2005 and thereafter has been successfully held every two years.

Oman 2011 expo will cover agriculture and fisheries, beverages, catering and kitchen equipment, food processing technologies, food products, hotel décor and style, hotel equipment, supplies and services, hotel and hospitality technologies and packaging system.

Connoisseurs of food and epicureans in the city can look forward to a feast of live cooking demonstration as part of the expo. Culinary masters from the Oman Chefs Guild will organize several food events spreading over three days.

Chefs who have excelled in the culinary art will be present to showcase a variety of activities like dress the cake, live fruit and vegetable carving, chocolate art, three-tier cake making, sugar art and six episodes of live cooking demonstrations.

Coffee connection
This time at the expo would be a stall put up by Nespresso, the haute coffee now making a rage in Europe and slowly penetrating into the Middle East. Samir Al Lawati of Nespresso expressed confidence that Nespresso's association with the Food and Hotel Expo would bring in more business to the premium coffee brand of Nespresso.

The exhibition will be open to visitors from 10am to 1pm and 4.30pm to 9pm on all three days.

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