This is a fair that is definitely gaining importance:

• There were 188,000 Industry visitors, a 24% increase compared to 2015
• 39% were international buyers, +20% compared to 2015
• 1,322 Italian exhibitors (+4%)
• 843 foreign exhibitors (+13%)

We are talking about the Host Fair, the international salon for the hospitality and professional catering industry that has just ended in Milan and which will reopen its doors from 18 to 22 October 2019.

That’s no surprise, however. Tourism is a growing trade as we have more free time and our average lifespan continues to rise. A study done by the World Travel & Tourism Council estimates that around the world one person in 10 is employed in this industry. Even in Italy it enjoys good health. Additionally, the recent years have seen us rise as a preferred destination compared to other Mediterranean countries where the unstable political situations dissuade tourism.

From my own observations – I was in attendance with a furniture company – I saw that the origin of the buyers were: USA and Canada (many architects), Central and South America and Eastern Europe. A Mexican buyer told me that he didn’t expect such a large hall and decided to postpone his return flight so as to stay longer. Milan, too, is a city with good services and which a foreign operator is willing to visit (even if the Metro and the trains are not always flawless).