The first international project of world-renowned hospitality tradeshow Host Milano has officially opened its doors, with Host Arabia commencing at the Riyadh Front Exhibition and Conference Center on 16 December.
The event, which has been organised by Semark Group in collaboration with Fiera Milano and Hospitality Services under the strategic partnership of the Culinary Arts Commission, gathered senior officials, ambassadors, and leading figures from the public and private sectors to mark the start of the show.
President of Groupe Gastronomie Guillaume Gomez and Belgian chocolatier Pierre Marcolini were guests of honour.
Host Arabia is being run alongside fellow tradeshows HORECA Riyadh and Salon du Chocolat et de la Pâtisserie Riyadh, with the more than 50,000 professional visitors expected to engage with more than 500 exhibitors across the 42,000 square metres of the event.
Deputy General Manager of Fiera Milano, Roberto Foresti, says its presence at Host Arabia reflects the growing globalisation of the hospitality industry.
“[This] initiative is part of the Group’s international development strategy, reinforcing our role as a global hub that brings together expertise, innovation, and international opportunity.”
CEO of Semark Group, Jad Taktak, labelled the show as a “milestone” in the growth of Saudi Arabia’s hospitality industry in his opening remarks.
“This unified platform brings together decades of experience and innovation from around the world to support the kingdom’s bold vision to transform Riyadh into a global destination for excellence, creativity, and collaboration.”
The Saudi Barista Championship will be held as part of the show alongside a dynamic program of masterclasses, competitions, and expert-led talks, with more than 70 international chefs and speakers announced as taking part.
