Italian exhibition platforms aim to attract more partners and buyers from GCC
- 27 Feb 2023
Sajjad Ahmad, Deputy Business Editor
Italy is one of the main trading partners of the GCC and Italian companies are looking forward to strengthen their partnerships with local organisations in various economic sectors, this was revealed by the organisers of the two Italian exhibition platforms HostMilano and TUTTOFOOD during a press conference in Dubai.
The two Italian excellence platforms, in hospitality and the agri-food supply chain respectively, will work together to attract global interactions in Milan, the capital of Made in Italy. The organisers, while sharing the message about the exhibitions, said that our presence in the UAE shows the importance of this region for us. "We are here to make new partnerships and attract more exhibitors and buyers from this part of the world."
The presence of TUTTOFOOD and HostMilano in Dubai is part of a journey towards the 2023 editions, aimed at creating increasingly effective opportunities for demand to meet with supply by involving potential exhibitors and buyers directly in their own markets, supported by partnerships with the most representative local associations. The destinations already touched by the two tours are: Chicago, Orlando, Toronto and Mexico City in North America; Paris, Lyon, Frankfurt and Düsseldorf in Europe; Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Singapore in the Middle East and Asia.
Francesca Cavallo, Sales Manager of HOST Milano said," This region is very important for us and we are here in Dubai to develop new connections and showcase our event to the local buyers, stakeholders and institutions. We are hopeful to attract a large number of exhibitors and buyers in the upcoming edition."
Paola Sarco, Exhibition Manager of BU FOOD said," The purpose of this event is to showcase TUTTOFOOD to GCC exhibitors and buyers and expand our reach in this region. Our exhibition is growing in size and we are expecting new partners from this region in this year's edition in Milan."
HostMilano is the world’s leading platform for professional hospitality and out-of-home technologies, products, formats and services, and the place where top players from around the globe meet every two years to preview their innovations not only in terms of technologies, but also of concepts and consumer trends.
In just a few editions, TUTTOFOOD has become the most important platform for the agri-food value chain in Italy, and among the first in Europe – a stage where product, process, ingredient and packaging innovations are proposed by large international companies as well as by small excellence players and PDO/PGI consortia.
Both events will increasingly focus on sustainability, both as to their new proposals and in the organisation of the event. The Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC) have long been a focus of the two exhibitions, reflecting the growing importance of trade with Europe in their respective sectors. According to the Host Observatory, based on data provided by the market analyst Export Planning, trade between GCC and Europe in the target segments at HostMilano – food equipment, out-of-home supplies and contract – almost reached €1.2 billion in 2022 and, thanks to an average annual 6.3% increase, is expected to near €1.5 billion in 2026. Figures are even more significant in the agri-food sector, according to the TUTTOFOOD Observatory based on surveys conducted by Export Planning.
Today, trade with Europe is already worth nearly €7.5 billion , with a 7.4% annual increase that will bring the figure close to €10 billion in 2026. TUTTOFOOD 2023 in May and Host 2023 in October: HostMilano and TUTTOFOOD will offer an opportunity to build on the momentum in import and export: exhibitors and buyers from all over the world will meet in an inspiring exhibition environment devoted to innovation and sustainability, that will combine a comprehensive overview of the respective sectors with deep insights in the different supply chains. Host 2023 will see exhibitors coming from at least 44 countries, namely the US, Brazil, Australia, together with some traditional producers such as, Italy, Germany, Spain, France, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Exhibitors are expected at TUTTOFOOD 2023 from at least 35 countries, including Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Denmark, Turkey, and the US.
A number of countries will also bring their first-time exhibitors, such as Ecuador, Faroe Islands, New Zealand, Romania, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, and Hungary.
