(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) The Hotel Show, which is welcoming more than 560 regional and international companies, witnessed a strong response on the first day, according to its organiser.
The show, which spreads across seven halls covering 26,000sqm, was inaugurated on Saturday by Shaikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Department of Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Emirates airline, Chief Executive of the Emirates Group and Chairman of Dubai Airports.
This year's show also features more than 16 international pavilions including five new countries - Austria, Belgium, India, the Philippines and the US - adding to the global appeal of the trade event.
"We are honoured to have had Shaikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum inaugurate the show that opened for the first time in its history on a Saturday. So far, the response has been tremendous and the show already has a real buzz and we are delighted that day one has gotten off to such a strong start," event director Christine Davidson in a statement. A new feature of this year's show, the Vision Conference, welcomed 16 of the industry's strongest leaders and experts on Day 1, led by keynote speaker Alexander Barder, regional director of Business Development for MEA at Sabre, whose session revealed the top five global digital trends for the Mena hospitality industry. The "An Industry in Flux, Hospitality Goes Digital" session stated the importance of a clear and consistent strategy to support convergence of sales, guest profitability, channel engagement and business intelligence in supporting the hospitality industry through digital engagement. The following session was hosted by Dan Cross, territory manager for Mena at TripAdvisor for Business, in which he revealed some of the key ways hospitality companies can take advantage of its diverse platform.
Also speaking at the Vision Conference on behalf of Facebook in the Mena region, Walid Driss reiterated the company's support for the development of digital advancements in the hospitality industry. "As with any innovation, it takes time to adopt new technologies and master the craft of a new cutting-edge practice with a real ability to deliver results, but we are looking forward to supporting the industry and its digital growth, as we work to establish our local presence further."
Delegates to the show had the opportunity to meet and network with talent acquisition and HR managers from Marriott International, Ritz Carlton and IHG, as well as others as part of the Careers Day, a new feature of this year's show available throughout all three days. More than 14 leading hotel groups are attending the career zone with the intention of acquiring talent.
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