COMES TO AN END AFTER BEING VISITED BY 7,000 PROFESSIONALS AND CONFIRMS ITS POTENTIAL AS A SECTOR LEADER
Held every two years, the first edition of the International Hospitality Suppliers and Services Show has been well received, confirming its potential for sustainable and continuous growth. The large number of exhibitors from all areas of the hospitality value chain is reflected in the diverse profile of participants, 11.5% of whom were international.
Guext, the new International Exhibition of Suppliers and Services for the Hospitality Industry organised by IFEMA MADRID and FELAC (Spanish Federation of Associations of Equipment Manufacturers for the Hospitality and Related Industries) brings its first edition to a close with positive feedback and the attendance of approximately 7000 professionals from 42 different countries.
This level of participation, 11.5% of which was international, mainly from Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, and with visitors from all the provinces of Spain, responds to the global focus with which this event was born and the aim of becoming the main meeting point for the hospitality sector in the country, underlining Madrid’s position as a strategic hub for the hospitality industry.
From 18 to 21 October in Hall 4 of the Recinto Ferial, the Exhibition displayed a complete range with 130 exhibitors from 7 countries representing the entire hospitality value chain. Professional visitors were able to discover the latest innovations in equipment and machinery, installations and infrastructures, design and interior design, services, technology and management, and strategically connecting with both the distribution network and the end customer.
The high numbers of exhibitors also attracted a wide range of participant profiles, with the special presence of the distribution channel and installation and the restaurant sector with a shared main interest of equipment and machinery. Guext attracted a wide spectrum of professionals from different segments such as collective services, accommodation, retail and specifiers such as engineers, architects and interior designers.
Lola González, Guext director, highlighted that “through careful planning and partnership with FELAC and the sector itself, we have achieved a successful response from exhibitors and visitors, which allowed us to identify opportunities for development, creating the building blocks for us to become a sector leader and have sustainable and continuous growth for the future. The numbers from the first edition validate the need for an event such as Guext and its future consolidation”.
Rafael Olmos, president of the Guext Organising Committee, emphasised that “this first edition has confirmed the need in Spain for a solid trade fair to represent the hospitality equipment supply industry and to bring together the entire sector, reflecting the tourism and hospitality power of Spain. After the success of this event, we are already working on the 2026 edition, with the aim of continuing to promote the fair as a great showcase for hospitality products and services, as well as its role as a knowledge forums”.
Meeting point for business and good practices in hospitality
One of the main focuses of Guext is to promote business opportunities for all actors in the sector. With this goal in mind, a full programme of buyers and B2B meetings was held over the four days, enabling direct contact with key professionals, generating trade agreements, strengthening alliances and opening up new market opportunities both nationally and internationally.
Guext also aims to be a space to discover the latest trends redefining hospitality. For this reason, in collaboration with the Madrid Chamber of Commerce’s School of Hospitality and Tourism, around 40 conferences, round tables and workshops were held at the Guext Forum for the different segments represented at trade fairs, such as the distribution channel and installers, as well as topics of general interest for hospitality professionals.
CoffeeXperience, the space where coffee takes centre stage
The coffee sector occupied a prominent space at Guext, where attendees were able to discover the latest trends in consumption and preparation. With the participation of all the key players, CoffeeXperience reflects the growing importance of coffee in the hospitality industry, offering a specialised area with hosted activities such as certifications, Latte Art competitions, tastings and conferences, underlining the increasingly important role of this beverage in the customer experience and the strong emergence of new businesses around coffee.
Recognition of the commitment and innovation in the hospitality sector
In the first edition, Guext wanted to recognise excellence hospitality. Under this premise, two important awards for commitment and innovation to highlight exemplary labour of professionals and companies who knew how to adapt to current challenges and have developed and implemented with successful and innovative solutions.
Firstly, on Saturday 19 October the Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Hospitality Distribution was awarded to Francisco Viñas, who through his work at Oms y Viñas has become a leader in hospitality distribution, contributing to improving logistical efficiency and elevating quality standards.
In addition, on Monday 21 October, the first “GUEXT Award for Excellence in Hospitality Innovation 2024” was awarded to NTGAS Digitalchefs programmable burners following the evaluation of an expert panel of judges of the 13 products featured in the Innovation Gallery. These professional gas burners with digital flame control allow standardisation of cooking, improving productivity, reducing costs and the carbon footprint by reducing gas consumption by up to 50%.
Finally, there was a special mention from the panel of judges for a second Innovation Gallery solution, Corequip’s Superfry N9FRE20HPF high-performance fryer, for its advanced technology, efficiency in oil use and calculation of energy consumption per recipe, among other features that place it at the forefront.
