Hotel, Hospitality & Food 2012’ opens today at SLECC

Sri Lanka’s premier hotel supplies show – “Hotel, Hospitality & Food 2012” (HHF 2012) – takes place from 18 to 20 October this year at the Sri Lanka Exhibition & Convention Centre in Colombo.

Organised by two leading names in the global exhibition industry, Pico Sri Lanka and Montgomery Worldwide UK, “HHF 2012” is now into its second edition and is primarily designed to serve the dynamic and diversifying hotel, hospitality, tourism and food businesses of South Asia.

“With the phenomenal success gained at the first show, HHF continues its focus on catering to the needs of the hotel and hospitality industry. HHF 2012 consists of many highlights, showcasing an inter-hotel culinary competition among chefs of leading hotels and many industry-related seminars and workshops which are aimed at uplifting the industry. Paralley our visitor campaign has been directed at professionals engaged in the hotel and hospitality sector, food and beverage procurement, and, investors and operators of hotels in Sri Lanka and regional markets such as the Maldives”, said Shanti Outschoorn, Executive Director of PICO Sri Lanka.

Supported by Sri Lanka’s leading hotel and tourism bodies, HHF 2012 is also endorsed by the Ministry of Economic Development, the Tourist Hotels Association of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Convention Bureau, Federation of Chambers of Commerce & Industry, National Chamber of Exporters, Colombo Hoteliers’ Association, Negombo Hoteliers’ Association and the Chefs’ Guild of Sri Lanka.

Riding on the success of last year’s event, the ‘Salon Culinaire’ competition within HHF 2012 will be a special highlight once again this year. Organised by the Chef’s Guild of Sri Lanka, this keenly contested event attracts the enthusiastic participation of a large number of teams from leading hotels across Sri Lanka. The competition will be judged by celebrity chefs of international repute while the winning team will be awarded an opportunity to travel to participate in an overseas competition.

“HHF 2012 is welcomed as the proven business-to-business event that the region needs at this time of growth, change and rising standards in the sector. Sri Lanka alone has about doubled its tourism arrivals over the last two years and expects to exceed one million visitors in 2012, thereby creating a huge demand for hotel rooms, hospitality services and new-to-market food products. HHF 2012 is thus the market place for regional networking and sales, plus a new sourcing base for Sri Lankan and other products,” Charlie Wrey from Montgomery Worldwide added.