STUTTGART, Germany – Five months before the start of Intergastra (15 to 19 February 2020), the leading trade fair for the hotel and gastronomy business, the 115,000 square metres of hall space are already largely booked up. There are even waiting lists for some theme halls.
“The exceptionally high occupancy rate at this early stage is a reflection of the positive mood and the pleasing economic situation in the industry,” said Ulrich Kromer, President of Messe Stuttgart. In 2020, Messe Stuttgart is expecting the trade fair to attract around 1,400 exhibitors and more than 100,000 visitors.
“Intergastra is experiencing even higher demand than at the last event. The reasons for this include a large number of new exhibitors and the IKA/Culinary Olympics – the oldest international exhibition of culinary art. The IKA/Culinary Olympics are being held for the first time in Stuttgart in 2020 and in parallel with Intergastra,” said Kromer. In the Olympic year more than 2,000 professional chefs from over 70 countries will compete fairly against one another under the trade fair motto #takingpartiseverything and will work with passion to create a perfect interaction between ingredients, preparation and food presentation.
The main guarantees for the success of Intergastra are, for example, its systematic orientation towards innovative topics, the varied offering and the planning of theme halls. Specialist visitors appreciate the clear division between kitchen systems, food, ambience and equipment for hotels and restaurants, services, beverages, coffee and Gelatissimo, the largest trade fair for handmade ice cream north of the Alps. Visitors also benefit from the innovative accompanying programme containing events such as the Dehoga stage with interesting talks, the pavilion Fokus Hotel, the Stuttgart Coffee Summit and the NewCome Areas.
Fokus Hotel: Smart solutions for hotels of the future
Visitors will learn all about the hotel industry in an exclusive atmosphere during the sixth edition of the pavilion Fokus Hotel in Hall 4. In addition to product innovations and solution concepts for hoteliers, the sixth edition of this pavilion will exclusively present the mock-up room of a new hotel brand which is opening a hotel in Stuttgart. Visitors can also look forward to interesting talks on the latest hotel trends and best practice examples.
Stuttgart Coffee Summit – most important meeting point for the coffee industry
Talks, interactive workshops and tastings – in cooperation with Coffee Consulate, the latest developments in the industry will be experienced during the 5th Coffee Summit in the Alfred Kärcher Hall (Hall 8) and during the 2nd Coffee Symposium in the Congress Center West. The focal points of these events in an international atmosphere will be the extensive value-added chain from the coffee bean to the cup. The Rösterdorf (roasting village) and the cup tastings will also promote exchanges regarding the latest coffee trends and will round off the concept of the Stuttgart Coffee Summit.
Full steam ahead on the e-gastronomy road
With the pavilion “e-gastronomy road” at the Entrance East, Intergastra will examine the topic of electric mobility for the first time and will link it to the needs of hotels and restaurants. In cooperation with eltefa, the trade fair for building engineering and electric mobility, INTERGASTRA will present innovative options for hotels and restaurateurs in order to create added value for selected target groups through an intelligent infrastructure and first-class charging stations.
Future trends at NewCome
During Intergastra 2020, future trends will also be set in numerous competitions and special shows, e.g. at NewCome, the special show for start-up founders, young entrepreneurs and innovators. Visitors to NewCome in the L-Bank Forum (Hall 1) and Hall 7 will see creative and innovative solutions for their restaurant or hotel business.
The Dehoga stage as an innovative hub
During Intergastra the Dehoga stage in Hall 7 will be an important meeting point for experts since this is where a large number of top-class stars in the industry will be presented. These stars include Johann Lafer, Alexander Hermann, Roland Trettl and Cornelia Poletto.
The stage programme of the German Hotel and Restaurant Association (Dehoga) will also contain talks on current specialist topics together with exciting discussions, shows and first-rate entertainment. Young entrepreneurs will also have the opportunity to demonstrate their expertise and the uniqueness of their concepts in the Intergastra Innovation Prize and the Elevator Pitch – a three-minute concept presentation – on the Dehoga stage and in front of a jury.
The Innovation Prize is presented by Intergastra , the “Allgemeine Hotel- und Gastronomie-Zeitung” and the Baden-Württemberg branch of the German Hotel and Restaurant Association (DEHOGA) for highly promising industry ideas. The jury chooses the winners based on important factors such as innovation potential, cost-effectiveness, design, functionality and practical importance of the concept.
Other important factors are considered during the Elevator Pitch, i.e. a “conversation in a lift”: the business idea must be presented for the first time during the Elevator Pitch and the company may not have been operating on the market for more than three years. The winners will then compete against one another in other competitions. The winner of the first prize in the regional final will receive €3,000. The Couvert d’Or is a competition in which everything revolves around stylishly decorated tables. It will be staged in Hall 7 by the Stuttgart section of the Association of Skilled Serving Staff and Restaurant and Hotel Masters (VSR).
Outdoor. Living. Ambience
Following the successful première in 2018, it will be round two for the special show Outdoor. Living. Ambience. During Intergastra exhibitors at R+T, the world’s leading trade fair for roller shutters, doors/gates and sun protection systems, will present their innovative sun and weather protection systems in the Rothaus Park on the trade fair grounds. Whether awnings, sunshades or terrace roofs with various accessories, visitors will be able to test the products live under real weather conditions and gain an impression of the first-class products from renowned manufacturers. Outdoor. Living. Ambience will show how outdoor areas can be used conveniently at any time of the year and in all weather conditions.
IKA/Culinary Olympics
The IKA/Culinary Olympics will be held at Messe Stuttgart from 14 to 19 February 2020 and for the first time concurrently with Intergastra . The world’s oldest and largest exhibition of culinary art is organised by the Association of German Chefs and has been setting culinary trends for 100 years. Visitors to Intergastra will have the opportunity in Halls C1 and C2 to watch the teams of international chefs cooking live, cheer them on during the preparation of around 8,000 international menus and personally sample these superb dishes from all over the world.
Further information: www.intergastra.de
