JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia – The third annual Hotel Show Saudi Arabia 2015 was opened Under the Patronage of His Highness Prince Abdullah bin Saud bin Mohammed Al Saud, Chairman of the Tourism Committee, in Jeddah yesterday (3rd May) to thousands of hospitality professionals from throughout the Kingdom and beyond.

Taking place at the Jeddah Centre for Forums and Events until Tuesday, the three-day event is the leading platform for international brands to showcase latest products and services to the booming Saudi hospitality market, forecast to be worth $93bn in the next five years.

“We are honoured to have had His Highness Prince Abdullah bin Saud bin Mohammed Al Saud, Chairman of the Tourism Committee, open the 2015 event and take the time to tour the exhibition,” said Christine Davidson, The Hotel Show, Exhibition Director at dmg events. “Saudi Arabia’s hospitality industry is experiencing extraordinary growth with recent industry reports forecasting 16,000 new hotel rooms in Riyadh and Jeddah by 2018, and a 400% increase in domestic tourism by 2019. The Hotel Show is a must-attend event for hospitality professionals looking to establish a presence in Saudi Arabia.”

Thousands of key decision-makers from the industry are attending the event including from the Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza and InterContinental hotels in Jeddah, from Saudi’s market-leading InterContinental Hotels Group. Pascal Gauvin, Chief Operating Officer, India, Middle East & Africa, IHG said: “Saudi Arabia has been one of our strongest markets and a key focus for us within the region since we entered 40 years ago.”

Hundreds of global brands are exhibiting from over 20 different countries worldwide, representing all of the product sectors that make up the hospitality industry. Global giants including LG Electronics have announced the launch of innovative new products and services at the Show this year.

Meanwhile, The Hotel Show Saudi Arabia’s first Vision Conference is providing a platform for global experts from the likes of Samsung, Deloitte and AlKamal International to inform the Saudi market on the latest industry trends.