Event review WTCE 2013 EXPO A world-winning event
In just its second year, the World Travel Catering Expo, co-located with Aircraft Interiors Expo, has come of age, attracting an impressive 200 exhibitors and over 1000 visitors to Hamburg. Jo Austin reports
T
he World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo attracted leading industry members from all over the world. While the OBH team only had to fly in from London, others came from as far afield as China, Alaska, Russia, Los Angeles, New Zealand, India, Australia and South America. And not one complained of jetlag! The vast show had everything from LSG Sky Chefs’ pole-balancing acrobats and gategroups’s small ‘town’ complete with shops, restaurants and a very popular bar; to popcorn and pasties, cups and cutlery, headphones and health drinks, sushi and sous- vide. Innovation was in evidence everywhere and airline buyers were spoilt for choice, whichever cabin they were interested in.
The theme throughout was 'quality and style' with designer products covering the full spectrum in a wide range of materials from bamboo to porcelain. Amenities shone through with designer brands and children’s kits and healthy drinks proving as popular as the wines. Olive oils gave a stunning display with a choice of flavours and chocolates and puddings are never out of vogue it seems. But don’t just take my word for it. David Loft, vice president International Catering, dnata said: “WTCE was very good and has established itself well following the first year in 2012. I think more thought needs to be put into the layout as there was one end dominated by the major players which left much less traffic around the rest of the show. This could be a detriment in the future if some of the smaller or newer
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exhibitors feel that not enough traffic is coming their way to justify the cost of exhibiting.”
Roger Williams, OBH regular contributor and business development director Rail Gourmet UK, added: “Over 60 railway caterers from Rail Gourmet and the International Rail Catering Group were in Hamburg with the majority feeding back positive comments saying it was as good as, if not better than, last year's show. “Some of our visitors, though, thought that there would be greater value next year if there were more
For a colourful insight into all the great new products seen at WTCE see pages 32- 41
food and drink suppliers showing genuinely new product innovation and less of the service providers pedalling hospitality rather than new ideas. "Perhaps that is a reflection of the fact that this is predominantly an airline show and the two industries (rail and air) are quite different in their service modelling and exhibition requirements? However, as a member of the WTCE Steering Committee, I was personally very pleased with the layout, the pre-event communication and the excellent signage around the exhibition centre which I felt was invaluable in helping visitors plan. In particular, the Onboard Hospitality’s Taste of Travel Theatre was really worth a
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