The world of HoReCa will gather in Riva del Garda from February 5th to 8th, 2024, for the 48th edition of Hospitality, the most comprehensive Italian exhibition dedicated to the hotel, restaurant, and café sector. This event holds significant prestige as Hospitality has received, for the second consecutive year, the certification as an international event, awarded by ISFCERT – Statistical Data Certification Institute for Trade Fairs, recognized by ACCREDIA.
“This reconfirmation of certification rewards the great teamwork we have carried out to make the event increasingly innovative in setting global hospitality trends,” commented Alessandra Albarelli, General Director of Riva del Garda Fierecongressi.
Many exhibitors and foreign buyers
With an exhibition area of over 40,000 square meters, Hospitality 2024 promises to replicate the success of the previous edition, which saw the presence of 636 exhibitors, 18,500 visitors, and several foreign delegations ready to seize the opportunity to develop their businesses. “The incoming program developed during the last edition allowed us to bring foreign buyer delegations from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Mediterranean basin, and selected operators from Central America to Riva del Garda. For the upcoming Hospitality, thanks to the reconfirmation of the international event certification, we will further enhance the presence of buyers from various countries, providing our exhibitors with even more networking opportunities. We are also working to strengthen partnerships already established at the national and international levels, such as the one with Valladolid Trade Fair,” concluded Giovanna Voltolini, Exhibition Manager of Hospitality.
Thematic areas and training spaces
The fair will be organized into four main thematic areas, designed to represent all segments of hospitality and catering: Contract&Wellness, Renovation&Tech, Food&Equipment, and Beverage. Additionally, there will be three special areas: Solobirra, dedicated to excellence in the world of craft beer; Riva Pianeta Mixology, focused on mixology and bartending trends; and Winescape, dedicated to enotourism and experiential hospitality.
At the last edition great importance was attached to the outdoor sector, with an exhibition pavilion developed with the contribution of FAITA-FederCamping. The initiative is expected to be repeated in 2024, but with agreements and details being finalised, the official announcement is still lacking.
Hospitality also features Hospitality Academy, a space dedicated to technical training for the HoReCa sector. Hoteliers, restaurateurs, and industry professionals can participate in workshops, educational sessions, seminars, and experiential initiatives to delve into the most interesting topics, with the aim of updating their knowledge, learning about new trends, and creating new contacts. The seminars are free to attend, with prior purchase of an entrance ticket to Hospitality.
Access to funding
Being an international fair also represents an important opportunity for exhibitors to access dedicated funds, including subsidized financing from SIMEST. From July 27th onwards, Italian companies, particularly micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, can submit applications to SIMEST to obtain a series of incentives and financing to support their participation in Hospitality 2024. These funds can cover expenses related to the exhibition area (from registration to setup), transportation of materials and exhibited products, as well as promotional investments for the event.
In the opening photo, from left: Alessandra Albarelli, Giovanna Voltolini, and Roberto Pellegrini
