ITCA meets in Dubai

With the focus of the international travel industry increasingly on Dubai and the Middle East, the inaugural MENA Traveler Catering and ITCA Middle East Conference concluded last week with interest by industry leaders and leading regional players.

The conference was held September 4-6 in Dubai. Rapid development of travel infrastructure in the region, coupled with the emergence of world-class airlines (Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways and others), has meant that travel-related industries are experiencing an unprecedented surge in growth.

Buyers from 50 countries from across the region and beyond, including China, Germany, India, Nigeria and the Russian Federation, attended the event. Among the visitors who were impressed with the exhibition was Yousif Al Ghawas, contact administration manager, procurement of Gulf Air, who termed the event as, "a new world of opportunities.”

The exhibition showcased 123 international suppliers from 25 countries including Emirates from UAE, Abela Hellas from Greece, Kitco from Kuwait, Salehia from Saudi Arabia, RAK Porcelain from the UAE and Portfolio Partners from the UK. Other key suppliers represented were Nestlé Foodservices, LSG Sky Chefs, Godiva, Orvec International, Hero Group and Sabre Airline Solutions.

"I’m very satisfied with the quality of the MENA Travel Catering Exhibition. I could have gone home after lunch based on the business conducted in the first morning,” commented James Gray, Director of Canary Enterprises.

“I had already met four key airline caterers, seen two out of five distributors I was supposed to, as well as many senior officials from specific airlines in the region on the first morning itself,” he added.

Other companies who chose MENA Travel Catering as the launch pad for introducing their products into the market were Godiva Chocolatier which presented its range of luxury fine chocolates; Clearwater Seafoods of Canada unveiled raw, shell-off lobster meat; inflight and catering products from Delta Worldwide; frozen desserts from Greencore Foodservice, MKN’s combi-steamers and sushi preparing equipment from Suzumo.

Meanwhile the ITCA Conference, running alongside the exhibition focused on the in-depth challenges and opportunities facing international companies operating and entering the Middle East market. Special presentations from leading regional organizations, including Emirates, Kuwait Aviation Services Company, Department of Civil Aviation and Sharjah Airport Authority and Graham, Wilson & Rizkallah Consulting detailing some of their success stories.

“Both the inaugural ITCA Middle East Conference and MENA Travel Catering Exhibition were a resounding success,” said Willie Seeman, Founder President of International Travel Catering Association (ITCA).

“The ITCA conference drew a lot of professionals from across the region and provided the ideal platform for debate. We are looking forward to developing the conference and our partnership with DWTC next year,” he added MENA Travel Catering 2006, held in conjunction with ITCA Middle East Conference was sponsored by Emirates (key sponsor), Al Accad Group (platinum sponsor) and Adel Abuljadayel Flight Catering (gold sponsor). Emirates was the Official ITCA Carrier for the ITCA Middle East 2006 Conference.