Gulfood to chart new territories this year

Country heads, government ministers and top-level delegations are scheduled to attend this week’s 19th edition of Gulfood, the world’s largest annual food and hospitality industry trade show highlighting the

importance of Dubai as a key trading hub for the global food industry.

The show, which opens today (February 23) will run until February 27 at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), will host a record 4,500 exhibitors from 120 countries and welcome 10 new country pavilions.

A key barometer for trade, trends and top-line market growth, Gulfood will introduce a number of innovative new features this year, including specialist B2B programmes, a dedicated halal food platform and a pioneering, high-ranking ministerial summit, said the organisers.

With more than 80,000 international trade visitors from over 150 countries expected to attend this year’s five-day show, Gulfood remains an important enabler in servicing the region’s fast growing hospitality and tourism industries.

According to the latest visitor number results released by Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), 7.9 million people visited Dubai in the first nine months of 2013 – a 9.8 per cent increase year-on-year – driving increased occupancy levels in 84,000 hotel rooms across more than 610 accommodation properties.

In addition to project spending and services, trade and tourism are key growth drivers for the UAE economy in 2014. Beyond its position as the trade show with one of the highest volume trading platforms in the global food industry, Gulfood is a major contributor to Dubai’s growing reputation as a global events destination and a key pillar of Dubai’s 2020 tourism vision, which is set to double its annual visitors numbers from 10 million in 2012 to 20 million in 2020.

About the show’s importance on Dubai’s economy, Helal Al Marri, the CEO of DWTC said: “The value that Gulfood provides to the food and beverage industry is undisputed and the
show is now recognised as a world-class investment platform and business facilitator on a truly global scale.”

“This year’s show sees the launch of our dedicated halal food platform, Halal World Food, as well as the inaugural World Food Security Summit, where government ministries, top level officials and international industry leaders will come together to discuss challenges in securing the region’s future food supplies,” stated Al Marri, who is also the director general of Dubia DTCM.