After three outstanding days of networking and insightful conferences, HORECA CONNECTS closed its doors on March 24.

Considered a breath of fresh air for Lebanon’s hospitality and foodservice industries, both of which have been hit hard by the pandemic and multiple crises crippling the country’s economy, HORECA CONNECTS attracted almost 7,000 attendees, 5,250 of whom traveled to Beirut from as far afield as Kuwait, Iraq, Belgium, France, Poland and beyond.

Of the total number of visitors, more than 1,500 watched the HORECA CONNECTS live stream from countries including France, the United States, Canada, Australia, Africa and the GCC. Besides the in-person conferences, the 12 forums were broadcast online, with hot topics on the final day including rural tourism, hospitality visions and finding opportunities in challenging times.

Joumana Dammous-Salame, managing director of Hospitality Services, HORECA CONNECTS organizer, said: “More, now than ever, we need to come together and build bridges, which was the slogan of our event. We are optimistic about the future, and HORECA CONNECTS provided a much-needed platform for professionals to network, find solutions and do business.”
Dammous-Salame added that the feedback has been immensely positive, with countless visitors attending all three days. “HORECA CONNECTS was our way of rebooting. Despite the challenges, it was a pleasure for us to be able to create a meeting place that really inspired people. We brought people in person and virtually, which proves that anything is possible. So far, the comments from our partners and guests have exceeded our expectations.”

Shining a bright light on Lebanon’s small producers, startups and innovators, Berytech’s Agri-Food Innovation Days, which took place alongside HORECA CONNECTS at Seaside Pavilion, hosted a Green Platform with ongoing discussions on sustainability, growth, exports and more.

HORECA CONNECTS returns to Seaside Pavilion from April 25-28, 2023.