November 10, 2026
In defiance of the difficult economic conditions, the activities of the 30th edition of the Horeca Lebanon exhibition were launched at the Seaside Arena in Beirut, organized by Hospitality Services, with the participation of more than 400 exhibitors and 2,500 brands. The exhibition will be held on an area of 13,000 square meters distributed over three halls, with expectations of attracting about 24,000 visitors from specialists and workers in the hospitality, restaurants, food industries, design, and distribution sectors.
The opening ceremony was attended by the Minister of Tourism, Laura Khazen Lahoud, the Minister of Agriculture, Nizar Hani, the head of economic bodies, former Minister Mohamed Choucair, and the Governor of Beirut, Judge Marwan Abboud, in addition to a crowd of ambassadors, heads of chambers, associations, and unions, and representatives of economic bodies and the media. The ceremony was presented by media personality Lea Fayyad.
In her speech, the co-founder and CEO of Hospitality Services, Jumana Damous Salama, reviewed the exhibition’s journey since its inception in 1994, considering that the current edition represents a station to celebrate three decades of bringing together the hospitality, services and food industries sectors under one roof. She pointed out the expansion of the “Horeca” experience regionally to include Riyadh, Oman, Kuwait, and Jordan, announcing the launch of the “Nihad Dammous Award for Excellence” in honor of her father.
For her part, Minister of Tourism Laura Khazen Lahoud confirmed that the exhibition has become a reference for understanding the reality of the tourism sector and identifying areas for its growth, stressing the need for the state to be present alongside investors in the most difficult circumstances to provide safety and policies that support the continuation of institutions. In turn, Minister of Agriculture Nizar Hani pointed out the importance of the exhibition locally and regionally, noting the participation of the Ministry of Agriculture in its activities and stressing that the advancement of tourism and the economy requires achieving stability.
For his part, journalist and economic expert Maurice Matta explained that the tourism sector contributed more than 20% of the Lebanese GDP in 2025, and provided about 357,000 direct and indirect jobs, stressing that confidence and stability are the safety valve for investment.
In terms of activities, this year the exhibition includes three new spaces for creative people: “From Soil to Table” for ceramics and contemporary design, “Chair Mania” for heritage-inspired chair designs, and “Anatomy of a Meal” for contemporary culinary art and photography. The “HORECA Innovations” space is also allocated to showcase more than 25 Lebanese innovations, while honoring small producers in the “Rising Stars” category.
The exhibition will host the “Hosted Buyers’ Program” with the participation of 25 regional buyers to build new partnerships, in addition to the “Job Meeting Point” space to connect employers with job seekers. It also organizes the “HORECA Talks” program with the participation of more than 100 speakers, the “HORECA Studio” for training classes, as well as specialized competitions in cooking, hospitality and coffee preparation such as “Hospitality Salon Culinaire” and “HORECA Barista Competition”, which has been accredited by the Contemporary Coffee Association (SCA).
“Horeca Lebanon” enjoys the support of the Ministries of Tourism, Economy, Trade, Industry, and Agriculture, in addition to the Association of Lebanese Industrialists, the Federation of Chambers of Commerce, the Syndicates of Restaurant and Hotel Owners, and the Lebanese Franchise Association, to reaffirm the vitality of the hospitality, tourism, and food industries sectors and their ability to withstand and continue.
