BHN speaks to EquipHotel 2018 show director Boris Provost about his thoughts on November’s event in Paris.
- How do you rate the success of EquipHotel 2018 especially with the 10 per cent rise in visitors?
“This was my first real session as the EquipHotel show director and it was exalting, general assemblies, forums and meetings; the entire hospitality and catering sector came to EquipHotel this year! It was a truly upbeat session that attracted around 113,000 professionals.
“The success and the dynamism of this session reflects the current excitement across the tourism and catering sectors in France and in Europe.”
- What did you hope to achieve by putting on the fair?
“For the 2018 edition, we tried to bring new experiences to the show in order to mirror the transformations that are happening in the industry these last few years and I think we managed it. In 2016, I was just going to analyse the event. I was thinking of what I could develop in terms of services for our visitors and I’ve realised there weren’t enough areas and events for people to meet and share their experience. That’s why I’ve decided to bring more content and more animation areas.
“In addition to our now usual ephemeral hotel, STUDIO18, or the Studio des Chefs, we also included inspiratory labs which are a source of innovations to hospitality and restaurants businesses. EquipHotel is not only a multi-specialist but also a true innovation and inspiration place.”
- What have you learnt from this year’s edition that you can take away with you to enhance future editions of EquipHotel?
“That our core business is to bring people together, network and to be an inspirational experience.
“I think we succeeded in blending the interconnections between design, hospitality and catering services, as well as new consumption modes and styles in this rapidly-evolving sector. We made a point to optimise the visitor experience, and divided the show into five main areas: service, catering, technology, well-being and design, bringing together exhibitors from more than 30 different sectors.”
- How are plans coming together for the next EquipHotel in 2020 and how can you bring even more visitors to the fair?
“We’ve already started working on 2020 and our aim is now to bring even more exhibitors, content and experiences to the show. We will develop a thematic which will involve and excite each participant of the fair and this theme will be announced in the first semester of 2019.
“We will also intensify the international promotion campaign in the UK, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland and Denmark to bring more European decision makers as visitors. Regarding the exhibitors, 40 per cent were internationals (first time we had that many foreign brands on our show) and we will continue our efforts and tours to keep extending the international offer.
“The most important thing is for our visitors to find what they are looking for and have a good time on the show because this is hospitality!
