JEDDAH — Riyadh and Jeddah continue to rank highly in the Middle East's top 10 most active cities for hospitality development. According to The Hotel Show Saudi Arabia, which is taking place in Jeddah from March 31 to April 2, 2020, the high ranking has been driven by rising demand from pilgrimage, business and leisure visitors. The ongoing diversification, tourism infrastructure and hospitality projects will continue to gather steam, driven largely by both private and public capital investments. According to Ventures Onsite Market Intelligence Platform Saudi Arabia's hotel business is booming with the overall GCC interiors and fit-out spend in the hotel sector expected to increase from $1,972 million in 2019 to $2,986 million in 2020, of which Saudi Arabia is expected to have a spend increase of $401 million. With 158 hotel projects in pipeline this activity will add 70,475 new hotel rooms to its current supply. As the new hotels open, Saudi Arabia continues to be a highly lucrative market for hospitality suppliers. New openings and expansions are planned for the future, so now is the time for regional and international suppliers to secure a foothold in the region. This is why an increasing number of companies are participating at The Hotel Show Saudi Arabia. The event annually drives and inspires change in the industry and is the largest and most influential hospitality brand in the region and an essential meeting place for General Managers, Hoteliers, Interior Designers, F&B Managers, Front of House, Housekeepers plus Spa & Gym managers looking to access the products, information and inspiration to drive the industry forward. The hospitality industry is one of the most dynamic sectors in the world. It places its customers at the heart of its operations and works to deliver the best experience possible and changing times and evolution of guests requirements the dynamics of the industry are constantly changing. Technologies such as IoT and cloud computing will play a vital role in helping hoteliers keep up with the pace of innovation that is sweeping across the hospitality industry. Virtual reality (VR), AI, Robotics, Blockchain, and 3D printing will play an even bigger role to play in the region's hospitality industry in the coming years. AI could increase hotel revenues by over 10 percent and reduce costs by more than 15 percent — with hotel operators expecting technology such as voice and facial recognition, virtual reality and biometrics to be mainstream by 2025. "The millennial traveller market segment is increasingly gaining influence on hospitality design in the region," says Clinton Bull, director of hospitality at international architecture practice SSH, explaining one of the key drivers to the growth in technology. This is where the power of live events comes into play. Market leaders such as The Hotel Show Saudi Arabia, offer face-to-face interaction for brands and suppliers to meet the industry and showcase real life demonstrations of the most innovative and new products. Visibility at live events offers a 21 percent improved perception on a brand image, according to Facetime and Cog Research. In addition to this the likelihood of purchasing products increases from 35 percent pre-event to 33 percent after engaging in a face-to-face event environment. Gary Williams, event director for The Hotel Show Saudi Arabia says: "Major sponsors of the event agree that participation in this event is a must for presence and projection in the industry. In this unique region it is more important than anywhere else to leverage the unique values delivered by trade shows. The importance of participation for the local industry is paramount, and leads to more conversations, more leads, and more sales than other marketing channels."
