Projections by industry experts indicate that the local hospitality business is expected to grow in the coming years. The Department of Tourism forecasts tourist arrivals in 2020 to continue to be on the upswing, as the number of visitors to the country from January to April this year rose by 8.15 percent to 223 million. Likewise, the local market is also expanding, driving the development of local tourism.

In fact, investments in travel and tourism are expected to reach P164 billion in 2028. Likewise, the expected number of visitors to the country by 2028 will reach P665 billion, projected to bring in P6.28 trillion to the hospitality industry.

 Merril Yu, special consultant and advisor of Hotel Suppliers Show, the gateway for global brands and manufacturers to connect people in the hospitality industry for the past decade, said the opportunity to gather suppliers and buyers cuts down on the time to connect with each company on a personal basis.

“Before our show, buyers and sellers engaged in traditional means of need and source on a painstaking and time-consuming manner,” Yu explained. “While the age of Google helps, nothing can beat a one-stop gathering of seekers and providers together to talk, touch and feel the merchandise in person. Google cannot provide that.”

Last year, the Hotel Suppliers Show had 13,226 trade visitors and 270 participating brands. This year, the event is set to occupy a bigger floor area and showcase more trusted suppliers for the different sectors of the hospitality industry. From the front desk to the back of the house, from the kitchen to housekeeping, and from construction materials to furniture, the event brings together a comprehensive showcase that will range from design and decor, furniture, fixture and equipment, as well as hospitality technology and suppliers show. Food and beverage will also be a big part of this.

 Yu, who was Mabuhay Gold-Hotelier of the Year awardee for 2013, said there is always a need to refresh one’s knowledge of what industry leaders are doing and proposing, as well as hearing experts’ advice on how these could be adapted to the local ecosystem.

“In the last decade, the dramatic change has been in the dramatic increase in hotel construction taking place all throughout our country,” he explained. “Hotels are no longer a thought or business development plan. Decisions are now in the physical. With that hotel boom, there is a greater need to buy products needed for hotels, and the Hotel Suppliers Show is the best and only international-level platform available in the country — maybe even the best in the region — to really serve all the needs of our industry.”

In the 10 years that Hotel Suppliers Show has been running, its growth indicates its importance to the local hospitality. Apart from being just a sourcing event, a number of technical seminars and learning sessions are a must-attend for industry professionals. These include the National Building and Property Management Summit, Hospitality Management Essentials Seminar, and Building Green Hospitality Forum.

 The Hotel Suppliers will be held from September 19 to 21, 2019 at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City.

For details about the show, visit the official Facebook and Instagram pages @Hotel Suppliers Show Philippines. Visit the event websites at www.hotelsuppliersshow.com.