... The countdown! 80,000 visitors expected.

Stuttgart trade fair for the hotel, gastronomy, catering, confectionary, and café industries, 6 - 10 February 2010

Germany's restaurateurs and hoteliers are unfortunately not having an easy time at present. The continuing economic crisis has meant that hotels and restaurants have achieved only moderate sales figures this year. The decline in sales over the summer months has hit hotels, guesthouses, and other enterprises in the hotel and restaurant industry particularly hard. However, members of the industry are well aware that weeping and wailing won't help matters. Thus, they have adopted the motto "Think positive". Hoteliers and restaurateurs must use the current situation to confidently set their businesses on the road to success through innovation and commitment. A bright spot in 2010 – in view of the emerging economic upswing - will be INTERGASTRA, an industry highlight that is sure to play its part in the industry's change of fortunes. The reduction in VAT for accommodation enterprises that has been passed by the new government and will take effect on 1 January 2010 is sure to instil further confidence in the industry and encourage investment.

INTERGASTRA has not been adversely affected by the crisis - quite the opposite, in fact: Following a record year in 2008 - the first time the fair was held on the new premises - the event has grown even larger and can face the current market atmosphere with confidence. The fair is anticipated to attract a greater number of exhibitors and visitors, showcase new hot topics within the context of the FOCUS HOTEL concept, and promote a special GELATISSIMO area. The new hot topics alone will attract more than 200 first-time exhibitors to INTERGASTRA.

The hotel and restaurant industry must grab the current situation as a chance to emerge from the economic trough with new ideas, a courageous attitude, and a zest for action. With its potential for success this coming February, INTERGASTRA Stuttgart will - as always - make a major contribution to this. So let's not wait until times become easier. Instead, let's focus on our strengths and continue building on our skills and competences!

I am not exaggerating in the slightest when I say that the 25th INTERGASTRA fair taking place from the 6th to the 10th of February 2010 will be the biggest INTERGASTRA ever. Due to the high demand, INTERGASTRA STUTTGART 2010 will be held in eight halls with a total surface area of 80,000 m2. That's 12,000 m2 more - an increase of 17% - than at the INTERGASTRA fair held two years ago, which also took place on these new premises.

With its unique FOCUS HOTEL concept, INTERGASTRA will provide the hotel industry with an unrivalled information and procurement platform in hall 6 - conceived and designed by Cornelia Markus-Diedenhofen's interior design firm. Its motto: "We present more than just a pavilion. We create hotel spaces that you can get your hands on. We demonstrate design ideas and technical innovations for targeted renovation measures for overhauling existing buildings that are both contemporary and profitable in the short and medium terms." Modern technology and logistics concepts give rise to diverse opportunities for optimising the entire value creation chain. All products and solutions are selected in accordance with hotel-specific requirements and are demonstrated in operation. Particular emphasis is placed on aspects such as sturdiness, hygiene, and energy efficiency. Among other things, visitors will be able to see backlit wood, innovative sanitary products, and modern media and hotel control technology - to mention just a few highlights. In short, FOCUS HOTEL will present sample solutions for all hotel areas from the basement to the top floor, with a special focus on responsive private hoteliers, who are constantly striving to optimise their offering.

Naturally, our German-speaking neighbours also have appealing trade fairs, but at no fair is the hotel industry showcased more extensively than at INTERGASTRA Stuttgart. Until now, no event has been able to meet the consultation needs of the hotel management target audience in such a clear and concentrated manner. INTERGASTRA - the leading trade fair for the hotel and restaurant industry - is right at the heart of the strongest economic region in Europe, and with FOCUS HOTEL, it is now especially appealing to the entire hotel industry.

Ice cream and coffee in Hall 8
At GELATISSIMO - the second new area - all market leaders in areas ranging from raw materials to ice cream machines and fixtures and fittings will be represented: Mec 3, Carpigiani, Fabbi, and Montebianco, to name just a few renowned exhibitors. The GELATISSIMO area thus stands on a broad and solid foundation and is asserting itself as the new leading exhibition for the ice cream market north of the Alps. Appropriately, the coffee area of the INTERGASTRA fair will be situated in the same hall. After all, ice cream and coffee complement each other perfectly! Ice cream parlours are increasingly becoming all-year round businesses and the industry has always constituted an important target group at the INTERGASTRA fair. With GELATISSIMO, we want to give the ice cream sector a new home in Stuttgart.

The first gastronomy trade fair of 2010, the INTERGASTRA is the top event for the industry in the German-speaking area. It is much more than just an information and product demonstration fair, since it also offers professional visitors specific problem solutions for energy efficiency, personnel deployment, kitchen systems, and - the special focus area - restaurant chains. It also highlights current trends that are particularly interesting from an economic point of view. This is how the INTERGASTRA is building on its position as a fair of innovation.

Halls 4 and 6 will showcase equipment and fixtures for hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants, including table decorations, fine table cloths, and interior design ideas.

The food area in hall 9 will exhibit foodstuffs and beverages, raw materials, frozen foods, and convenience products. Due to the growing market for eating out, there is a huge amount of potential for the industry in these latter areas. To complement this, hall 2 will present the "Food Special" of the company "Service-Bund", a wholesale partner with an extensive range of food for restaurants and community catering.

The idea of gastronomy as an experience in itself is showcased more extensively at the INTERGASTA than at practically any other gastronomy fair. The awareness that it is important in today's world to make eating out an experience as well as offering a multinational range of food and drinks may not be new but is still current. At this year's INTERGASTRA, more than 30 breweries will be independently represented. As well as eight representatives of the "Freien Brauer" independent brewers' association, market heavyweights the Bitburger Group, BHI Group, Erdinger, and the Radeberger Group will be represented - the Radeberger Group, the leading player in the German beer market, will make its only major trade fair appearance next year at the INTERGASTRA. The ten private breweries that are taking part will present their special products in a "beer garden of regional variety" to get people in the mood for the coming summer. Exquisite niche products such as choice wines and trendy mixed drinks will round off the top-quality INTERGASTRA table.

Halls 3 and 5 will concentrate on work equipment and production engineering, with a focus on fittings for large kitchens, refrigeration engineering, air conditioning, and environmental technology. The kitchen systems area will be strongly represented in two halls, providing ideal solutions for all technical problems and issues.

What would this international trade fair be without the skilled personnel of various associations, organisations, and institutions, all of whom will place themselves at your disposal to provide advice and information on special topics? Leading the way here are the ideological and technical sponsors of INTERGASTRA - the hotel and restaurant association DEHOGA Baden-Württemberg and the Baden-Württemberg Guild of Confectioners.

In hall 5, DEHOGA Baden-Württemberg, the Association of Maîtres d'Hôtel, the German Barkeepers Union, and the Association of Master Chefs will serve technical delicacies on each day of the fair.

In hall 8, the Baden-Württemberg Guild of Confectioners will demonstrate enticing ideas for cafés, bistros, pastry shops, and confectioners. In the confectioners' trends area, new ways of manufacturing and marketing products will be shown. Coffee specialities, such as flavoured coffees and various types of espresso, will provide a seductive treat. This will allow confectioners and café proprietors to show that they're keeping up with today's tastes. Thanks to GELATISSIMO, a focus will also be placed on ice cream here.

Naturally, the INTERGASTRA will also be characterised by an interactive supporting program. For the first time, the German Hospitality Congress 2010 - the year's kick-off event for decision-makers in the hotel, restaurant, and catering industries - will take place in Stuttgart. The theme of the congress is "Marketing, Service, and Personnel Trends". Our "By Professionals for Professionals" talks on wine, architecture, and community catering are also new, and feature speakers such as sommeliers Natalie Lumpp and Karl Knipp and celebrity chef Martin Öxle. On the 5th of February, the next stage of the golden palms awards by the Leaders Club International will take place. Germany will be represented by the newly nominated Bullerei and Tschebull restaurants. In addition, the preliminary German selection for the renowned De Kuyper Cup bartending competition will be announced at the INTERGASTRA.

The gala event "TopAusbilder 2010" - which aims to recognize top quality in training chefs - will move from Hamburg to Stuttgart. In addition, there will be a range of other program highlights throughout the INTERGASTRA. Up-to-date details will be posted at www.intergastra.de.

There's good news to report on the sixth edition of the Gastro-Innovationspreis award for innovative gastronomy: this year saw a record level of interest, with 75 participants registering for the competition. In these economically difficult times, the industry is more focused than ever on attractive presentation, the requirement for novelty on the part of exhibitors, and problem-oriented solutions. This is exactly what will be delivered next February in the INTERGASTRA exhibition halls. A new feature this year will be the two-stage nomination procedure. In addition, the jury - under the experienced leadership of Professor Karl-Heinz Hänssler, Principal of the Ravensburg University of Cooperative Education - will be composed of new faces who are renowned experts in their field. The awards ceremony will take place during the INTERGASTRA opening event. It will be attended by a high-level representative of the provincial government, traditionally the Prime Minister of Baden-Württemberg.

The online registration procedure is completely new: trade visitors can print out their tickets and exhibitors' voucher codes on the Internet. Best of all, if you register online you will avoid long waiting times at the cash desks and turnstiles. Transport to and from the fair location with the transport association VVS is included in the entrance price.

INTERGASTRA therefore provides exhibitors with a wealth of reasons to put their all into the first gastronomy trade fair of 2010 in Stuttgart next February and to let their innovative solutions and contemporary products really shine. In exchange, Messe Stuttgart will make sure that the supporting program provides a pleasant balance of information and entertainment, thus ensuring that INTERGASTRA trade visitors enjoy an exciting and successful trade fair that will build on the success of INTERGASTRA 2008. We are expecting a record number of 950 exhibitors (compared with 795 in 2008) from 18 different countries. In addition, we have set ourselves the goal of exceeding a figure of 80,000 trade visitors for the first time.

www.intergastra.de