The Hotel Asia Exhibition, the largest trade fair in the Maldives is set to begin on Wednesday in the capital Male.
The event organizer Maldives Exhibition and Conference Services (MECS) general manager Hussain Rauoof told local media that with 160 stalls the fair would be held at maximum capacity of the main convention centre 'Dharubaaruge'.
"The fair is now the largest in this region. Fairs held in countries like Singapore usually hosts around 1,000 stalls. But this year the exhibition would be held in five halls of Dharubaaruge which is its maximum capacity," Rauoof explained.
MECS had said that over 250 companies from 46 different countries would participate in the fair while over 2,000 prominent brands would be showcased.
The exhibition regarded as the one stop solution for the elite hospitality industry would feature products, service and technology from tourism, food and beverages, architecture, waste management, furniture to safety and security systems.
Similar to previous editions, the exhibition would also host the highly anticipated Internationally Culinary Challenge - the biggest competitive cooking event in the South Asian region.
Endorsed by the World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS), the event is expected to display the culinary skills of hundreds of contenders in-front of judges' panel comprising of celebrity chefs from around the world.
The prestigious event's main sponsor Best Buy Maldives (BBM), one of the leading resort suppliers in the country. Founded in 1994, BBM has established itself as one of the largest wholesale and retail companies in the Maldives with a wide range of consumer goods.
BBM marketing chief Afrah Hassan said the company would showcase over 70 different brands during the fair.
"Our aim is not to just sell our products. We always offer information on our products including how those products are used. We will continue to do that," Afrah said.
The exhibition is expected to attract thousands including resort owners, general managers, purchasing managers and top representatives of leading companies - both local and foreign.
AVAS Online is the online media partner of the exhibition.
