Food & Hotel Digital Week's second edition tops attendee records

The second edition of Food & Hotel Digital Week, which ran from the 13 to 17 July, recorded more than 8,000 industry professionals – a 60 per cent increase from the first edition in May. The webinar series, with 100 speakers participating in more than 50 sessions, also saw a record rate of over 47 per cent attendance.

As businesses in the hospitality sector rethink strategies and recovery post-crisis, many establishments are redefining their business models and operations under a new set of rules and regulations. Themed “Hospitality’s New Normal – Restoring HoReCa in Asia”, the two-day industry webinar series, which took place on the 15 and 16 of July, covered issues from recovery in regional tourism and hotel sector, workforce skills, redesigning of customer experiences to challenges in the Asian meat and specialty coffee markets.

Global thought leaders from Accor, ASEAN Coffee Federation, City & Guilds, Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne, Electrolux Professional, GlobalData, Jumeirah Hospitality, Michelin Guide Asia, Skypoint Hospitality and Technology, Singapore Tourism Board, STR, Worldchefs and various hotel associations from the region shared strategies for business recovery, trends and opportunities especially in the Asian markets.

“Our first webinar experience at Food & Hotel Digital Week hosted by Informa Markets has been a rewarding experience made possible with the strong internal support, planning and backend support by Informa Market’s Digital Week team. We look forward to working with Informa Markets on future similar events,” commented Mitsubishi Gas Chemical, provider of chemical products and solutions for the food packaging sector, sponsor of Food & Hotel Digital Week.

The inaugural FHA Congress co-located with Food & Hotel Digital Week, taking place on the 13 and 14 July, saw a total of 123 attendees from countries and regions such as Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Korea, and USA, tuning in to catch the simultaneous livestream conference tracks. Industry professionals in the hospitality, food manufacturing and food service sectors, industry associations and regulatory bodies participated in live polls, quizzes and surveys throughout the two-day conference.

Experts from the “Hospitality and F&B – A Strategic Retrofit” track shared best strategies on food safety and quality, F&B and hospitality operations and digitalisation of operations. The second track “Food Manufacturing, Trade & Retail” was a platform for food manufacturers, retailers and innovation experts to exchange technological and operational strategies in an uncertain post-pandemic economic landscape. Debates and discussion also focused on topics ranging from e-retail, food delivery, plant-based meats to Food-Tech and Industry 4.0 solutions for the food & hospitality industry.

Rounding off the week, industry experts from India and Indonesia spoke at length about the opportunities for businesses in the countries. Organised by Food & Hotel India, the “HoReCa – B2B Opportunities for Modern Trade, Cash & Carry Businesses” session presented a current overview of the hospitality industry in India and plans for revival. Speakers from the Forum of Indian Food Importers, Hotel Sahara Star, HVS, Lite Bite Foods, METRO Cash & Carry India, Stanza Living, Travel Trends Today and VIE Hospitality shared their thoughts and perspectives in the cash & carry business.

“Overcoming the Challenges of Culinary Business in The Future” session, organised by Food & Hotel Indonesia, had speakers from the Association of Culinary Professionals – Indonesia and Foodizz.id sharing insights into the culinary sector in the country, challenges and opportunities in the future.

The next Food & Hotel Digital Week will be held in October 2020, more details will be announced at a later date.