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Catering Industry to meet in the Middle East Organizers from the International Travel Catering Association (ITCA) and the Dubai World Trade Center are gearing up this month for the MENA Travel Catering 2006 exhibition, set for September 4-6 in Dubai. As of early August, the exhibition was drawing representatives from airline, cruise line, ferry, railway and hospitality industries from 22 countries. Among the early suppliers and caterers signing on for the event were Nestlé Foodservices, LSG Sky Chefs, Orvec International, Hero Group and Sabre Airline Solutions. Visitors will be getting a glimpse of an airline catering industry in the Middle East that is generating an estimated US$500 million per year in sales. “DWTC is delighted to host and work with ITCA, whose inaugural conference will run alongside a key exhibition to support the regional growth of the transport catering sector and its service providers,” said Helal Saeed Al Marri, Director General, Dubai World Trade Centre, in an update on the event. The growing volume of travelers passing through the Middle East together with the UAE’s emergence as a hub for marine and aviation traffic has combined to make the region an area of key interest for international catering companies, according to industry experts. Aviation catering stands out as the fastest-growing sector, with more than 13.76 million passengers passing through Dubai International Airport in the first half of 2006. In parallel, cruise line, rail and ferry services have also grown significantly in recent years, creating major opportunities in a range of industries. The exhibition, whose platinum sponsor is Al Accad Hotel Supplies, represents a diverse range of companies, including food and beverage suppliers, food packaging, chinaware and disposable crockery, through to in-flight retailing, entertainment systems and toiletry companies. “Travel catering is an expanding sector especially in the Middle East. By sponsoring this event we aim to increase our brand awareness and tap into this highly lucrative market. We are looking forward to welcoming key decision-makers from across the region onto our stand as well as networking with the many delegates there attending the conference,” said Sultan Al Accad, Managing Director of Al Accad Hotel Supplies, Platinum sponsor of MENA Travel Catering 2006 The geographic reach of the event will cover markets in the Middle East extending into North Africa, the Indian subcontinent and Eastern Europe. A full look at the latest developments in many parts of the Middle East will be featured in the September/October issue of PAX International. PAX International will be at the MENA Exhibition booth #102. |
