A leading trade show in the Red Sea port city of Jeddah promises to bring to international attention Saudi Arabia’s accomplishments and aspirations in the food and hotel industries.

The kingdom, easily the biggest producer of food and drink in the Gulf and a leading importer of food-related items as well as being an area of great tourism potential, is preparing to host many national pavilions and companies at an expo that has already made a mark.
Food and Hotel Arabia 2004 will be held from May 9 to 13 at the Jeddah International Exhibition and Convention Centre, running alongside the already influential Propac Arabia. Propac is the abbreviation for the production, processing, printing, packaging, plastics and chemical industries.
Saudi Arabia is the single largest consumer of food and drink in the Gulf, accounting for 63 per cent of all imports in the region. Almost all of its hotel and catering equipment is imported.
Food processing has become a major investment area, growing from $1.7 billion in 1995 to $5 billion in 2001. The kingdom’s population, currently 22 million and the Gulf’s largest, is expected to grow to 47 million by 2020, ensuring it remains the most important market.
“With most of the large Saudi importers and distributors having their headquarters in Jeddah and 80 per cent of all foodstuff imported through the Jeddah Islamic Port, the Jeddah Food Arabia exhibition is the most ideally located and the most important exhibition in the Saudi food calendar,” said organisers Al Harithy Company for Exhibitions Limited.
“The growth in population and the government’s desire to develop domestic tourism, is creating a substantial demand within the hotel and catering industry,” a spokesman for the organisers said.
“The intention is that, through increased focus on tourism, long-term growth and stability can be attained.”
Saudi Arabia had projected that it will require an additional 50,000 hotel rooms and 75,000 furnished apartments together with a proportional growth in the service sectors of restaurants, malls, leisure resorts and theme parks by 2020.
“Global travel, education overseas and the media have led to a sophisticated demand for quality and variety, with purchasing trends by consumers resembling those of their Western counterparts. This change is driven by the younger consumer from teenagers to those in their twenties,” said the spokesman of Al Harithy. The kingdom is also experiencing a boom in supermarket chains.
A TopChef competition, a major attraction of Food Arabia/Hotel Arabia in 2002, returns for the 2004 event with upgrades. Local heats for the competitive section commence several weeks in advance for a chance to compete against incoming international chefs. Two celebrity chef-cooking demonstrations every evening within extensively promoted “theme nights” offer tremendous promotional opportunities. The demonstrations are supported by audience participation, related prize contests, a closed circuit TV link throughout the venue and full media leads.
The show’s 2002 edition attracted companies from more than 20 countries including the US, the UK, France, Germany, Australia, South Africa, the Middle East, the Far East and South Asia.
Ozkan Aydin, a Turkish commercial attaché in Saudi Arabia, reported that around 40 companies exhibited their products in the Turkish pavilion. “The entire group reported massive interest and high levels of business. Most of the companies will be returning with bigger stands in 2004.”
The Thailand trade office reported deals in excess of $150,000 on the first day.
“This is a well-organised show; we have received many enquiries,” commented Peter Palmer, exhibition manager of the British Contract Furnishing Association.
Hari Raman, general manager of the Australian company Lemnos Foods, observed: “The show attracts serious buyers. We have identified distributors and concluded many business transactions.”