Global suppliers and regional buyers drive strong sourcing demand for automation and operational solutions

Bangkok, Thailand, 17 March 2026 – THAIFEX – HOREC Asia 2026 concluded last week in Bangkok, highlighting how global hospitality suppliers and regional operators are increasingly turning to Southeast Asia for operational solutions and market expansion.

Held at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani, the event expanded by 30% to 35,000 sqm of exhibition space, reflecting strong demand for solutions that directly address operators’ current-day challenges around manpower shortages and operating efficiencies.

The third edition welcomed 21,305 unique attendees from 70 countries and regions, and also saw a 42% increase in exhibitor participation compared with the previous edition, with exhibitors coming from 35 countries and regions.

Strong exhibiting participation came from Thailand, China, Italy, the United States and Singapore, alongside 10 new markets – Canada, Chile, India, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, Scotland, South Africa, Sweden and The Netherlands. Brazil, which has previously participated through independent exhibitors, made its debut this edition as an organised country pavilion.

Hospitality Suppliers Eye Southeast Asia Expansion

A defining outcome of this year’s edition was the strong interest from global hospitality suppliers looking to expand their presence across Southeast Asia, with Thailand increasingly serving as a regional gateway market.

Automation innovations, the revamped Xperiential zone and the new Hospitality Design zone, which featured strong participation from Thai creators, highlighted the region’s growing capabilities in hospitality innovation and operational solutions.

“This is our second time at THAIFEX – HOREC Asia and the quality of the audience has only become stronger”, Orlando Tessitore, APAC Area Manager, Elmeco SRL observed. “We’re debuting our new product ‘Be Coffee’ from Italy here and for the first time in Asia as we see the diverse demand Southeast Asia offers along with Thailand’s emerging position as a strong incubator for food and beverage in the region.”

Exhibitors reported strong engagement from distributors and hospitality operators seeking new operational solutions.

“THAIFEX – HOREC Asia is our first step in expanding distribution outside Singapore.” said Charles Foo, Director, EGNITE. “In the first two days, we secured more than 30 leads from Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the Caribbean, and are now in discussions with hotel groups about introducing our electric fire gasless stove into their operations. The response we received has been overwhelming yet extremely encouraging.” 

Manufacturers also reported early commercial outcomes during the show.

“THAIFEX – HOREC Asia is a highly influential platform for the hospitality industry,” said Jason Wu, General Manager, Coolmes Commercial Kitchen Equipment Mfg Co., Ltd. (Meichu). “In three days, we connected with more than 100 distributors and industry buyers, sold out all the products we brought to the show, and have already secured USD 30,000 to 40,000 in deals, with further discussions underway.”

Vietnam Emerges as Key Hospitality Procurement Market

Regional hospitality expansion was reflected in the show’s Hosted Buyer Programme, which welcomed more than 500 hosted buyers from over 30 countries and regions.

Vietnam emerged as one of the strongest sourcing markets this year, with hosted buyer participation increasing by nearly 20% compared with 2025.

“Over the past two years at THAIFEX – HOREC Asia, we have invested nearly USD 6 million to expand our supermarket and restaurant chains across Vietnam”, said Mr. Duc Quynh Nguyen, Chairman of Danang Hotel Association, Chief Executive Officer at Menas Mall Vietnam, and Vice Chairman of Da Nang Tourism Association “This year, we finalised around USD 8 million in new investments with suppliers at the show, supporting our next phase of expansion.”

“Our resort in Vietnam is undergoing a renovation and coming to THAIFEX – HOREC Asia has opened up new ideas and products for us to procure for this purpose”, shared Andre Pierre Gentzsch, General Manager, Furama Ariyana Convention Centre. “What has got us excited at this show is the sheer variety of products from equally varied suppliers all in one space, and the fact that we no longer need to necessarily travel as far.”

Automation Innovations Draw Strong Buyer Interest

THAIFEX – HOREC Asia drew significant investment interest from hospitality operators for its strong showing of automation-forward innovations, especially pertinent as the industry grapples with increased manual labour shortages coupled with rising utility costs. Brands are also keen to build presence in Thailand first and expand into other regional markets after.

Leonard Lam, Managing Director for Asia Pacific, Welbilt shared, “Hospitality operators are looking for smaller footprint equipment to combat issues such as labour and space shortages and increased energy costs. THAIFEX – HOREC Asia gave us the opportunity to launch our AI-enabled automation solutions that address these challenges exactly, and the engagement here has been pretty good.”

“We decided to launch our latest product here for the first time in Thailand as it’s an important market for us, and we see THAIFEX – HOREC Asia as a gateway to tailoring our automation offerings to what each market needs. We’ve had positive experiences in Thailand which has enhanced our confidence to move forward and we are organising a series of meetings in the coming week to discuss potential business opportunities here with our distributors,” said William Xia, Business Director for East Asia, Tineco.

Broadening HoReCa Possibilities with a New Hospitality Design Zone

THAIFEX – HOREC Asia 2026 brought another meaningful dimension to the hotels, restaurants and catering (HoReCa) sector with a brand new Hospitality Design zone, opening new possibilities and launchpads for domestic hospitality operators setting their sights on international markets.

“The newly-created Hospitality Design zone at THAIFEX – HOREC Asia 2026 opens doors for us to access buyers from the international market, especially Vietnam, which is one of our target countries. This specialised focus this year has enabled us to directly attract interior designers and contractors, which has helped to facilitate potential collaborative projects. We are hopeful that this zone will continue into next year and become better with each edition,” Jirachai Tangkijngamwong (Mike), R&D and Marketing Director, DEESAWAT Industries Co. shared.

Looking Ahead

As hospitality investment continues across Southeast Asia, organisers say the show will continue to connect suppliers, operators and innovators seeking solutions for the region’s evolving hospitality sector.

Reflecting growing industry demand and international participation, the next edition of THAIFEX – HOREC Asia will expand to a four-day format, returning to Bangkok from 2-5 March 2027. The extended schedule will allow greater opportunities for sourcing, knowledge exchange and business networking across the hospitality value chain.

 How THAIFEX – HOREC Asia and THAIFEX – Anuga Asia complement each other

THAIFEX – HOREC Asia and THAIFEX – Anuga Asia are organised under the same umbrella but serve different business needs.

THAIFEX – HOREC Asia, focuses on hospitality operations, equipment and execution across the hotels, restaurants, and catering (HoReCa) sector.

THAIFEX – Anuga Asia, one of Asia’s largest F&B trade shows, focuses on food and beverage trade, sourcing and market expansion.

Jointly organised by the Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP), the Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC), and Koelnmesse, these two events form a cohesive ecosystem: one addressing how hospitality businesses run, the other addressing food and beverage businesses’ trade and scale.

Please visit www.thaifex-horec.asia and www.thaifex-anuga.com for more information.