HITEC Dubai 2018, the Middle East’s largest hospitality technology exhibition and conference, was officially inaugurated by Issam Kazim, CEO, Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM).

Co-produced by Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) and Naseba, this year’s expo, which is taking place at the Madinat Jumeirah Dubai from 5-6 December, is showcasing a wide range of innovative solutions from the world’s leading hospitality technology providers.

Travel technology has grown rapidly over the last decade leading to drastic transformation and disruption in all aspects of the industry. HITEC Dubai demonstrates this success with a window to the latest trends shaping the hospitality industry.

Frank Wolfe CAE, CEO of HFTP, said, “This year we have over 70+ main stand holders and expect over 3000 visitors, 2000 business meetings and 300 intensive one-on-one sessions at the expo. The growth and scale of HITEC Dubai is testament to the buoyant hospitality industry in the Middle East. Our core aim is to gather hospitality and technology leaders to share their success stories and tackle common challenges. For the first time we will debut in Dubai, HFTP’s expanding Entrepreneur20X (E20X) competition that is a unique opportunity for startups to present their breakthrough business concepts to the industry. Taking centre-stage at the show will be a Promobot, an intelligent humanoid robot. We will also feature ground-breaking regional and international case studies, thought provoking panel discussions and technology demonstrations from the world’s top service providers and revolutionary thinkers.”

HITEC Dubai’s Advisory Council Chairperson Laurent A. Voivenel, Senior Vice President, Operations and Development for the Middle East, Africa and India for Swiss-Belhotel International, said, “HITEC Dubai promises to be stellar show. Technology is in our everyday life with smart homes and hotels need to keep pace with the latest developments in order to meet the expectations of modern travellers. As our industry expands in an increasingly competitive market it is essential to integrate technology to enhance the guest experience with greater efficiency. Internet of Things, Cloud Technology, Virtual Reality, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Blockchain, etc are all paving the way for the future of technology in the hospitality sector and HITEC Dubai will be a great platform to see what lies ahead.”