Hospitality industry turns to automation, sustainability, efficiency at THAIFEX – HOREC Asia 2026

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BANGKOK, Thailand — Automation, sustainability and operational efficiency took center stage at THAIFEX – HOREC Asia 2026, as hospitality players across the region explored technologies designed to help restaurants and hotels cope with rising costs and staffing challenges.

Held from March 11 to 13 at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani, the trade show gathered 21,305 industry leaders from 70 countries and regions, who explored innovations from 664 exhibitors from across the world.

Spanning 35,000 square meters of exhibition space, the show featured a wide range of hospitality equipment, kitchen technologies and service solutions used in hotels, restaurants and catering operations.

Across the show floor, one theme repeatedly surfaced: hospitality businesses are under pressure to maintain service quality despite limited manpower and rising operational expenses.

“A lot of hospitality businesses are struggling with manpower and with keeping quality in line,” Sven Schaefer, project director, THAIFEX – HOREC Asia 2026, Koelnmesse Pte Ltd, said during a media roundtable discussion. “So many exhibitors are introducing products that help maintain a consistent output—even if you don’t have a fully trained chef.”

Automation enters the kitchen

Many of the most talked-about innovations focused on how automation and digital tools can help kitchens deliver consistent results.

Among the innovations showcased was the Convotherm Mini Pro from Welbilt, a compact combi oven powered by AI-assisted optical cooking technology designed to improve kitchen throughput while maintaining consistent food quality.

Other systems demonstrated features such as cloud-connected recipes and automated cooking programs, allowing restaurants to standardize dishes across different branches and staff shifts.

For hospitality operators, these technologies address a common operational challenge: maintaining consistency even as teams change throughout the day.

“Restaurants face situations where teams rotate between morning, afternoon and evening service,” Wendy Lim, general manager of Koelnmesse Pte Ltd, explained. “The question is how they can make sure the same menu comes out in a consistent way every time.”

Sustainability, resource efficiency as business strategy

Alongside automation, sustainability and resource management were recurring themes throughout the exhibition.

Several companies introduced systems designed to help hospitality operators monitor and reduce resource consumption. 

Among them was Dish IQ from Ecolab, a platform that tracks water, chemical and energy use in dishwashing operations. Alliance Laundry Systems also presented laundry equipment designed to reduce water and energy consumption while maintaining cleaning performance.

Other innovations included new cooking technologies such as Egnite One Aero from Egnite Global, an electric plasma-powered cooking system that recreates the visual effect of a flame while aiming to reduce energy consumption compared with conventional gas-based equipment.

Industry representatives said such technologies are being developed to help hospitality businesses manage energy use while maintaining operational performance, which comes timely as the hotel industry also grapple with the effects of LPG price increase due to the ongoing conflicts in middle east. 

"This includes everything from reduced gas consumption for stoves to lower electricity use for refrigeration and better insulation. By adopting these, businesses make themselves less vulnerable to geopolitical shocks," said Sven Schaefer, project director, THAIFEX – HOREC Asia 2026, Koelnmesse Pte Ltd. 

"Sustainability is not just about 'being green'—it is a business case that saves money for the entrepreneur, the hotel, and the restaurant." emphasized Mathias Kuepper, managing director and regional president of Koelnmesse. 

"That’s where sustainability is getting interesting," the speaker noted. "It's not just about the logo or 'being green.' In the end, it is a business case—you are actually saving money with your investment," Kuepper added.

Hospitality to remain human

Despite the growing presence of automation, industry leaders emphasized that the core of hospitality remains human-centered.

According to Schaefer, guests still want to see a smiling face welcoming them at a hotel or restaurant. "When you go out, you want to have the service, you want to feel welcome at the place, and that is something that cannot be replaced in the near future," he said.

As such, many technologies presented at the show aim to handle repetitive or technical tasks back-of-house, allowing staff to focus more on guest interaction and service.

What the trends mean for the Philippines

For hospitality operators in the Philippines, the trends highlighted at THAIFEX – HOREC Asia 2026 reflect shifts that are already being felt across the industry.

Restaurants, cafés and hotels continue to navigate staffing gaps, increasing utility costs and growing pressure to adopt sustainable practices.

The technologies showcased in Bangkok—from AI-assisted cooking systems to resource-monitoring platforms—offer a glimpse of how hospitality businesses across Southeast Asia are adapting to these realities.

“The Philippines’ food service market is one of the region’s bigger markets, and we see that in the strong buyer representation coming from there at our show as one of the top three buyer participants,” Lim told Philstar.com in a pre-show interview. 

“This, coupled with the country’s dedicated focus on adopting sustainability-forward initiatives in the HoReCa industry gives us the opportunity to connect these buyers with operators who are actively expanding and sourcing solutions for their businesses,” she added. 

For Filipino operators looking to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving tourism market, the takeaway from this year’s exhibition is clear: the future of hospitality will depend not only on culinary creativity, but also on systems that make operations more efficient, resilient and consistent behind the scenes.

What’s next for THAIFEX

Following the success of its third edition, organizers have announced that THAIFEX – HOREC Asia 2026 will return in 2027 with an expanded four-day format.

The decision to add a fourth day comes as a direct response to the event’s rapid scaling, which saw exhibitor numbers jump from 400 to over 600 this year.

"The show is growing, as you can see from the numbers," said Lim, noting that the extension is necessary to ensure visitors to have sufficient time to source products and network with more attendees. The shift also provides added value for participants, as exhibitors will receive an extra day of brand exposure for roughly the same investment.

Meanwhile, THAIFEX – HOREC Asia's sister show, THAIFEX-Anuga Asia which focuses on food and beverage products is slated to happen on May 26 to 30. 

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Editor's Note: This story was produced during a hosted visit to Thailand, organized by THAIFEX- HOREC Asia. It is produced by the BrandSpace team that is independent from our Editorial Newsroom.

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