15th Hotel Asia kicks off on 7 October in Maldives

After much anticipation, South Asia’s largest hospitality tradeshow, Hotel Asia 2019, presented by Maldives Exhibition and Conference Services Ltd. will commence on 7 October with the much-awaited Culinary Challenge kicking off a day ahead. 

Hotel Asia Exhibition: This year will be the 15th edition of Hotel Asia which will see the participation of exhibitors and brands representing 45 countries, including Sri Lanka, India, The Maldives, China, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, Dubai, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Canada, Germany, Italy, USA and Switzerland occupying 160 stalls. Several resorts, hotels, restaurants, food and beverage establishments have also confirmed participation.

Many foreign exhibitors see Hotel Asia as an opportunity to propel their hospitality products and services to the Maldives and other countries as top brands and suppliers who have excelled in the hospitality industry usually attend the exhibition. It is also known as a symposium where key players in the hotel industry worldwide interact and a platform that encourages new businesses and start-ups, especially in the Maldives. Furthermore, it’s also an arena for buyers to explore and source from recognised brands, network directly with international manufacturers whilst discovering the latest developments and trends in the market.

From its humble beginning back in the year 2000, Hotel Asia Exhibition has had a remarkable journey to become the high-profile exhibition and tradeshow it is today. The exhibition will be held in Dharubaaaruge, Male’, for which several resorts, hotels, restaurants, food and beverage establishments have also confirmed participation.

Hotel Asia International Culinary Challenge 2019: One of the major attractions of the exhibition will be the Culinary Challenge which has a history of building world-class chefs over the years. Endorsed by WACS and recognised globally as a Worldchefs Competition, this year the competition will see 670 entries from 450 chefs competing under 22 categories.

 The Culinary Challenge was conceived with the idea of encouraging locals (Maldivians) to enter the culinary workspace dominated by foreigners at the time. Today more and more locals entering the culinary profession is proof that the Culinary Challenge has impacted the interest and opened avenues for budding culinary enthusiasts. The general notion being that those who perform and win at Hotel Asia International Culinary Challenge can prove themselves anywhere else in the world; speaks volumes about the quality of the judge panel. This year, the panel will include 24 judges from over 15 different nations.

The judging panel will also include Project Director Alan Palmer, a veteran Chef counting over 50 years of experience in the field. Honorary Lifetime Member of the World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS) Chef Alan Palmer isn’t a by-word on the glamour world of culinary arts, but in true spirit his name ranks up with much respect and admiration. 

This year Hotel Asia 2019 will be sponsored by many giants in the industry. BBM Resort Supply Solutions will be the main sponsor this year alongside Maldives Exhibition and Conference Services Ltd. Currently in its 20th year of operation, BBM started life as the trading arm of East invest, a leading Maldivian conglomerate. BBM’s solution is a combination of careful planning, maintenance of buffer stocks and close relations with resort purchasing managers to guarantee that resorts never go without their essentials. The consistent and reliable service offered by BBM is a lifeline that the Tourism Industry can depend upon.

Culinary equipment for the event will be provided by EVO, while logistics requirements will be handled by TTS Maldives. Rateria have come in as uniform partner while the Hotelier Magazine will be the official magazine for the event. Meanwhile Mihaaru, the most trusted news source has joined hands as the official media partner as Dhiraagu joins in as digital partner. Taste.mv will join in as Culinary Challenge Media while Somerset Hotels will be the official hotel partner.