The Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP), the Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC), and Koelnmesse have announced the launch of THAIFEX – HOREC Asia. Scheduled to take place from 6th to 8th March 2024 at IMPACT, Muang Thong Thani, Bangkok, Thailand, the highly specialised HoReCa (hotel, restaurant, and catering) trade show will bring together the largest gathering of industry professionals in Thailand and Southeast Asia.  

Khun Phusit Ratanakul Sereroengrit, Director-General, Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP), noted that after three challenging years of Covid 19 restrictions, the HoReCa industry is now seeing a surge in consumer demand as people are eager to return to travelling, dining out, and other forms of entertainment. Thailand is well known to be a famous tourist destination with a quality reputation for great hospitality and strong capability to serve the needs of the industry. 

This year, Thailand is expected to receive more than 20 million foreign visitors¹. Backlog demand is leading to an unprecedented need for new investments and opportunities in the HoReCa industry. Given the growth trajectory² and our great achievement of THAIFEX – Anuga Asia trade show, all three organisers are confident that THAIFEX – HOREC Asia will be a beneficial platform to meet the needs of the region’s fast-growing tourism and hospitality industry.  

Mathias Kuepper, Managing Director and VP Asia-Pacific of Koelnmesse, added that with nearly two decades of expertise in the food and beverage industry and the ongoing success of THAIFEX – Anuga Asia filling up all 11 trade halls at IMPACT, it is a strategic move to expand the portfolio and launch an extension specially tailored to the hotel, restaurant, and catering sectors.  

The event will showcase a comprehensive range of innovative solutions in nine major segments: Bakery & Ice-cream, Café and Bar, Cleaning and Laundry, Dining, Furnishing, Kitchen, Services, Tech, and Wellness. Additionally, there will be several supporting programmes, including a Hosted Buyer Programme, which is slated to host more than 500 top buyers from Asia, giving participants an effective and efficient opportunity to network and establish potential business partnerships. Industry players can also get a glimpse into the future of HoReCa at the THAIFEX – HOREC Xperiential Zone, and gain access to valuable industry insights, novel perspectives, and best industry practices by attending forums, live workshops, and culinary demonstrations at the inaugural show.  

Khun Sanan Angubolkul, Chairman of The Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC), underlined Thailand’s position as a major gateway to the Southeast Asian market, which is growing significantly. He pointed out that the all-new HoReCa trade show presents a prime opportunity for sector players to diversify, explore new growth prospects, witness innovations, optimise operations, and benefit stakeholders. THAIFEX – HOREC Asia will be an essential platform to strengthen the HoReCa industry’s growth in the region, as it gathers all of the industry’s key players. Furthermore, the event stages the latest products and innovations that cater to current trends and global needs. It introduces these latest products to potential buyers worldwide, linking markets for local and international companies. The event also meets the needs of vendors and buyers by providing enhanced opportunities for networking, increasing brand recognition, and boosting business growth in the HoReCa industry.  

The THAIFEX – HOREC Asia debut event seeks to attract over 300 leading brands and 20,000 trade visitors from Southeast Asia and key cities across the Asia Pacific.  

For more information, please visit www.thaifex-horec.asia  

About the Department of International Trade Promotion, Ministry of Commerce, Thailand 

The Department of International Trade Promotion is committed to providing excellent service to Thai entrepreneurs in international business, including trade facility, cost reduction, value creation of goods and services, providing consultation for overseas market access and maintenance, as well as close cooperation with the private sector to promote Thailand as a major gateway of Asia. http://www.ditp.go.th/  

About the Thai Chamber of Commerce 

The Thai Chamber of Commerce represents the Thai private sector to facilitate business and trade as well as to serve as the central coordinating agency between the government and private sector. Also, it helps promote trade, business and economic cooperation, build relationships between Thai and partner countries at the bilateral and multilateral levels, and plays a proactive role in representing the interests of the local Thai business community. https://www.thaichamber.org/   

Koelnmesse – Global Competence in Food and FoodTec 

Koelnmesse is an international leader in organising food fairs and events regarding food and beverage processing. Trade fairs such as the Anuga, ISM, and Anuga FoodTec are established world leaders. Koelnmesse not only organises food and food technology trade fairs in Cologne, Germany but also in further growth markets around the globe, for example, in Brazil, China, Colombia, India, Italy, Japan, Thailand, the United States and the United Arab Emirates, which have different focuses and contents. These global activities enable us to offer our customers a network of events, which in turn grant access to different markets and thus create a basis for sustainable and stable international business. Further Information is available at: https://www.koelnmesse.com/current-dates/all-trade-fairs/ 

1https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2475529/operators-predict-thailand-to-draw-20m-visitors-in-2023  

2https://www.cnbc.com/2022/10/17/when-will-asias-travel-industry-recover-maybe-as-soon-as-2023.html  

3https://www.ibisworld.com/global/industry-trends/fastest-growing-industries/