Sipco Holds 2nd Annual Hospitality Match Middle East
July 3, 2008
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – For the second year in a row, Sipco Publications & Events held its highly-successful event, Hospitality Match Middle East, bringing some of the tops designers from around the world to suppliers of hospitality interior furnishings.
The event, which took place from June3-6, was sponsored by Townsend Leather and Impex Development and was held at the Hyatt Regency. In addition to the one-on-one meeting schedules that matched buyers with suppliers whom they wished to meet, Sipco produced an informative seminar as well as several networking events like a desert tour and an authentic Arabian dinner to help build relationships, within the group.
The seminar, held the second day of the event, focused on the benefits and challenges of conducting and building hospitality businesses in the Middle Eastern region of the world. Speakers on the panel represented international design firms like VOA and DiLeonardo as well as hotel companies like Rosewood Hotels & Resorts. Leila Abdulraheim from DiLeonardo explored the importance of understanding cultural differences when establishing work in the Middle East. She spoke about the design process and how it is altered when planning a property that must keep in mind religious rituals such as multiple daily hand and foot washings. Jeanette Lenear from VOA, agreed with Abdulraheim that many factors go into the specifying of products for such properties. Lenear also stressed the importance of local representation as a designer or a supplier.
Townsend Leather, one of Hospitality Match's sponsors, spoke about the experience of starting work in Dubai. The company's international representative, known infamously as Kumar, told the story of how he had arrived in Dubai years ago with not much more than a bottle of water. Today, Townsend has a fully-established branch in Duba and is planning to expand further, into India next.
Max Mohan, from Americana Brands, spoke about the opportunities that Dubai holds as a hub or portal to even further-distant lands. Sipco is in the process of planning for next year's Match Middle East and will be holding its annual Hospitality Match USA in a few short weeks; from July 17-19.
The event, which took place from June3-6, was sponsored by Townsend Leather and Impex Development and was held at the Hyatt Regency. In addition to the one-on-one meeting schedules that matched buyers with suppliers whom they wished to meet, Sipco produced an informative seminar as well as several networking events like a desert tour and an authentic Arabian dinner to help build relationships, within the group.
The seminar, held the second day of the event, focused on the benefits and challenges of conducting and building hospitality businesses in the Middle Eastern region of the world. Speakers on the panel represented international design firms like VOA and DiLeonardo as well as hotel companies like Rosewood Hotels & Resorts. Leila Abdulraheim from DiLeonardo explored the importance of understanding cultural differences when establishing work in the Middle East. She spoke about the design process and how it is altered when planning a property that must keep in mind religious rituals such as multiple daily hand and foot washings. Jeanette Lenear from VOA, agreed with Abdulraheim that many factors go into the specifying of products for such properties. Lenear also stressed the importance of local representation as a designer or a supplier.
Townsend Leather, one of Hospitality Match's sponsors, spoke about the experience of starting work in Dubai. The company's international representative, known infamously as Kumar, told the story of how he had arrived in Dubai years ago with not much more than a bottle of water. Today, Townsend has a fully-established branch in Duba and is planning to expand further, into India next.
Max Mohan, from Americana Brands, spoke about the opportunities that Dubai holds as a hub or portal to even further-distant lands. Sipco is in the process of planning for next year's Match Middle East and will be holding its annual Hospitality Match USA in a few short weeks; from July 17-19.
