Hoteliers, Hospitality Firms Explore Trends, Innovations at 2023 HEN

Mary Nnah

Hoteliers and hospitality companies in Nigeria explored business trends and innovative ways of staying afloat at the just concluded 2023  Hotel Expo Nigeria (HEN).

The 2023 HEN themed: “Connecting sustainable partnerships’, a two-day event treated subject matters such as sales, insecurity, quality and standard in the hospitality industry in Nigeria among top industry practitioners.

The industry, which has been hard hit at short intervals since the outbreak of the pandemic in 2020, is now thinking out of the box to stay afloat mid-networking to learn how best to handle the current harsh economy.

 Given that, industry stakeholders, hospitality-related businesses, and investors among others gathered in Lagos at this year’s Hotel Expo Nigeria (HEN) to hobnob once again and learn trends that will help their businesses thrive despite the challenges.

Now in the 4th edition HEN, a premier West African Hospitality Exhibition networking and conference event, witnessed the gathering of over 60 exhibitors in the industry and related fields from across Nigeria to a two-day hospitality expo at the Landmark Event Centre Lekki, Lagos.

It also paraded industry think tanks featuring some of the best hands and those who shared their success testimonies and practical solutions to stay afloat now.

They included: Belinda Nwosu, faculty member, Lagos Business School and Hospitality Consultant, Karl Hala, group general manager, Continental Hotels Nigeria, Raymond  Herrington, principal consultant, Herrington Consulting, Wole Fayemi, MD/CEO, Heirs General Insurance, Abhay Bhargava, Chairman/ Founder, I-field Interior, among others.

Speaking at the expo, Joe Hanson, Convener/Founder of HEN, expressed excitement over the solutions proffered by industry experts and gainful networking at the expo. “It is amazing that despite the economic challenges that AFRICA is facing, the hospitality industry is still thriving.

“It navigated the COVID-19 pandemic challenges, many other challenges at short intervals and even the current economic hardship. “However we need to network, hobnob, exchange and learn innovative and trendy ways to stay afloat and adjust in the face of the current economic realities in the country,” Hanson said.

“The expo, according to him, also offered the participants an out-of-office advertising platform. There is nothing like hobnobbing with your fellow hoteliers, sharing ideas and making sales. It is like marketing outside your office. And just as you put billboards, do radio and TV adverts, the exhibitors and visitors did all of that here, “he said.

Speaking further, he noted that HEN 2023 was able to deliver, provide and connect hoteliers and hospitality firms in a way that addressed critical issues and provided solutions that could move the industry forward.

“We delivered on our promise that we are going to do this, we were able to bring the best of the best, and we were able to create that connection that everybody is enjoying.”, he said.