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EDITORIAL
Managing director Joumana Dammous-Salamé
KSA’S GIGA PROJECTS: CAN HOTEL F&B THRIVE WITHOUT ALCOHOL?
Publication manager Randa Dammous-Pharaon Editorial manager Rita Ghantous Sub-editor Miriam Dunn Account managers Maha El-Khoury, Josette Hikri, Nour Pharaon advertise@hospitalitynewsmag.com Subscription executives Houayda Haddad-Roumman, Mirna Maroun subscribe@hospitalitynewsmag.com Circulation coordinator Rita Nohra-Kejijian Graphic designer Ibrahim Kastoun To advertise advertise@hospitalitynewsmag.com Published by Hospitality Services LEBANON Dekwaneh Tel: +961 1 480081 UAE HSME Tel: +971 585848018 info@hospitalitynewsmag.com www.hospitalitynewsmag.com All the information disclosed in the magazine was provided by the parties concerned by each publication and checked to the highest possible extent by the editors. However, the magazine cannot ensure accuracy at all times of all information published and therefore could in no case be held responsible should any information reveal to be false or insufficient. We welcome views on any subject relevant to the hospitality industry, but request that letters be short and to the point. The editor reserves the right to select and edit letters. Hospitality News ME is distributed to trade professionals in the catering and lodging industry in the Middle East.
It’s a question that many are asking as the kingdom’s developments gather pace. Abdul Kader Saadi, managing director of Glee Hospitality Solutions, shares his views. Saudi Arabia’s giga projects sit at very different stages. Diriyah, The Red Sea and Qiddiya are already operating. However, AMAALA is only now welcoming its first guests, while NEOM’s Sindalah remains largely closed. This means that while we have enough evidence to read some signals, it’s not enough to decide whether hotel F&B in KSA is “thriving” without alcohol. Instead, the real verdict will come in repeat covers in a few years. Removing the wet revenue What can be assessed already is the shape of the economics, and top of that list is average spend. Removing alcohol doesn’t just remove a line on the menu. Beyond this, it removes a large slice of the check. In a high-end restaurant, alcohol commonly accounts for 40 percent of the bill or more. In contrast, in a wet-led venue such as a beach club or lounge, it reaches 70 percent. So can these concepts thrive without alcohol? Yes, but the model has to change. When you cannot win on spend per head, you have to win on volume. And that makes the model far more dependent on occupancy and footfall than a wet venue. Get occupancy, frequency and overheads right, and the numbers work. Winning on footfall, not spend Crucially, that puts a premium on every other line of the bill. With no wine list to lean on, the discipline shifts to upselling. Items like premium desserts, specialty coffee or signature mocktails, for example, become key revenue levers. Notably, domestic demand is real. Saudi diners have a growing appetite for premium food, cafe culture, dessert-led formats and aspirational social spaces. Hotel F&B should be able to thrive in KSA’s giga projects without alcohol, but with a different model. It might be a harder business to run, but the path is visible and the first venues are already on it. gleehospitality.com
ALWAYS IN OUR HEARTS Conventions, tradeshows and exhibitions are an essential tool for generating additional demand in the hotel and catering industry. This extra demand is seen in positive macroeconomic effects. It is our responsibility, as media, to highlight the special role of conventions and exhibitions, as they provide important opportunities to both the global and local business communities. EDUCATING THE HOSPITALITY PROFESSIONALS OF TOMORROW
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Nouhad Dammous (May 2019) Late editor-in-chief Docteur Honoris Causa
AUG-OCT 2026 | HOSPITALITY NEWS ME
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In this issue AUG - OCT 2026
HORECA NETWORK 8 9 10 11
HORECA Oman returns for its fifth edition as hospitality growth accelerates across the sultanate HORECA Jordan on track for a strong 11th edition HORECA Lebanon reschedules its 30th edition to November 2026 HORECA Riyadh and Salon du Chocolat et de la Pâtisserie Riyadh come together this December at Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Center
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HORECA Oman
14
LIE
47
New projects and investments
EVENTS WHERE TO BE SEEN 12 13 14 16 16 17
Salon du Chocolat et de la Pâtisserie Dubai set to celebrate milestone fifth edition Raising the bar: Whisky Live Beirut’s bold eighth edition Lebanese Industry Expo returns for 2026 WTM Spotlight Riyadh to put Chinese travel growth in focus Four co-located shows to unite food manufacturing and hospitality in Dubai Calendar
BUSINESS INTERVIEW 18
Chef Guy Savoy on elevating gastronomy to a fine art
OPINION 20
The hidden power of third-party management in real estate
INFLUENCERS 22
11 influential hoteliers, 60+ new projects
SPECIAL REPORT NEW PROJECTS AND INVESTMENTS 47 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64
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Saudi Arabia’s next hospitality chapter The new rules of hotel investment Building the new hotels that investors want The art of launching a successful hospitality business Emerging destinations drive MENA’s hotel pipeline Beyond growth: where regional hospitality projects are heading The rise of out of the box hospitality projects Designing AI payments from a new-build advantage New taxes, new hotels: what Gulf developers need to know Hospitality investment for a more disciplined era
HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | AUG-OCT 2026
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BUSINESS MARKET UPDATE 68
Saudi Arabia: ambition meets discipline
TOURISM 70
How integrated resorts are raising the bar for MENA tourism
72
Designing spaces that forge emotional connections
74
Italian cuisine: 20 regions, one shared language
76
Why family-owned restaurants outlast F&B trends
78
Grocery restaurants: the next big thing in dining?
ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN EYE ON ITALY F&B TRENDS
74
Eye on Italy
82
Human Resources
90
Beverage
SOLUTIONS TECHNOLOGY 80
How virtual concierges are reshaping the guest experience
MANAGEMENT 81
5 essential steps for building market presence
HUMAN RESOURCES 82
The importance of crisis-ready leadership
MARKETING 83
Why airport F&B venues are flying high
GREEN 84
Decarbonization begins with data
PRODUCT ZONE TECHNOLOGY 86
How GEO is transforming the way guests find you
88
Ice cream’s sub-zero success story
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4 beverage experts on what’s in the mix for syrups
FOOD BEVERAGE CHOCOMANIA 93
Vegan chocolate banana bread
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Coming issue NOV 2026 - JAN 2027 • Special report Hospitality trends and forecasts • Influencers Nightlife • Technology Small and heavy kitchen equipment • Food Chocolate • Beverage Whisky
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HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | AUG-OCT 2026
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