The 17th Saudi Food, Hotel, Hospitality & Propac Arabia Exhibition kicked off Sunday amid a robust industry. It will run until Wednesday at the Jeddah Centre for Forums & Events. Engineer Hassan Sangoof, Director General, Ministry of Agriculture, Makkah Region inaugurated the event which gathers over 350 companies from 22 countries. “The Saudi Food and Propac show has emerged as Saudi Arabia's premier annual international exposition on food, food processing, hotel and restaurant equipment and supplies. It is heartening to know that more than 350 companies from various countries are showing their products,” Sangoof said. He also called on the private sector's improvement in the Saudi's food value chain infrastructure. Zahoor Siddique, Vice President for Exhibitions, ACE - organizers of the event - said “this is the leading event in the Kingdom's food, hotel, hospitality, processing and packaging industries, with a successful track record of more than 15 years.” He revealed that the Kingdom, with its 28 million population and estimated to grow to 50 million over the next decade, has not only been importing food worth more than $18 billion from more than 200 countries, but also leasing land in countries around and elsewhere for meeting its food needs. Moreover, Siddiqui said “the word ‘food' spells a long list of needs, tastes and varieties for the ever growing and diverse population of Saudi Arabia, which is not only vast but also changing, rather transforming. The young are well-traveled and well-heeled. Coffee shops and Internet cafes, which are popular spots for the youth, exist in large numbers and new ones coming up day by day.” Siddique added “the show has established Jeddah as the hub of the food, hotel and hospitality sector, and the Kingdom as a national showcase and forum where worldwide suppliers present their products and services.” The dual event hosts an impressive list of national pavilions from China, Egypt, Indonesia, Taiwan, Turkey, US and individual companies from Belgium, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Korea, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Morocco, Pakistan, Singapore, Tunisia and UAE, and Saudi companies representing international brands. As Saudi tourism revenue, - which stands at $15 billion annually, is expected to jump to a $65 billion by 2019, Siddiqui said “that means more rooms, facilities and services. In fact, hotel and catering related services are due to undergo similar growth. Restaurants, fast-food outlets and a range of hospitality-related businesses are thriving in the Kingdom's new climate of promising potential. There is also tremendous scope for establishing new ones.” The show incorporates top chef and art de la table, jointly organized by ACE and Saudi Arabian Chef Association, which will feature culinary skills of chefs from the finest hotels and restaurants and adjudicated by a panel of international experts. __
