Busy Trading at The Hotel Show in Dubai

Two manufacturers from the Netherlands and the UAE are the latest success stories of The Hotel Show, after signing major deals with the region’s leading hotel chains and suppliers.

Forest Group, a Dutch drapery hardware company, secured on Monday three orders worth nearly €45,000 (Dhs.208,000) with hotels and hotel suppliers in Jordan, Iran and Kuwait. The company, whose industry-firsts include the technology behind touch and remote controlled curtains, also established important leads with hoteliers from Nairobi and Qatar.

Dubai-based manufacturer of shades, blinds and shutter, Avenue Window Fashions, finalised two contracts, worth around Dhs.60,000, with companies in Oman. The company management was also excited by the value of potential business generated at the show.

"I really think it could be worth millions of dollars," said Cameron H. Rouzati, sales manager for Avenue.

While for some the three-day showcase of goods and services for the hospitality industry brought instant success, for others the gains, worth millions of dirhams, are to be reaped in the months to come. One of the UAE’s leading interior contractors, JC Maclean Group valued future business gleaned at The Hotel Show at Dhs.100 million.

“While we are very well known in the UAE, we now have a chance to break into the lucrative Saudi and Kuwaiti markets,” said JC Maclean managing partner, Talal Saeed, who met investors from these two markets at the exhibition.

JC Maclean has augmented its core fit-out and joinery business to incorporate key manufacturing and installation support companies and currently has seven specialised factories in the UAE. The company, which has just completed the prestigious Ibn Batutta Shopping Mall with Nakheel, has announced it will be fitting out the foodcourt at the Mall of the Emirates.

Indonesian furniture manufacturer, Warisan, is another exhibitor looking to reap extensive rewards in the months after the exhibition.

“We've had overwhelming success, with 110 positive leads secured within the first two days,” said managing director James Newbould. “We’re extremely pleased to see the business potential is not limited to Dubai, with major companies from throughout the region showing real interest in our products.”

Oliver Kessler, managing director of German product development company, Arteo Design Group, has a similar story to tell. “During the first two days of the show, we’ve established contacts with 30 interior designers and purchasing managers from as far afield as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, India and, of course, the UAE,” he said.

Kessler expects The Hotel Show to generate purchases of one of Arteo’s newest products, a linear-drive punkah, featuring unique robotics technology and completely customisable to meet the design requirements of high-end hotel lobbies, restaurants and suites.

Reflecting the wide variety of goods and services from all over the world, The Hotel Show has 425 exhibitors from 41 countries, including eleven national pavillions representing France, Australia, China, Portugal, Germany, Greece, Malta, Mexico, Spain, Turkey and the UK.

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