„Alles für den Gast” 2022: Genuine Hospitality

© RX Austria & Germany/FRB Media/Daniel Fabbro

Impulses, perspectives and opportunities: The industry's leading trade fair celebrated a brilliant success from November 5-9!

The "Alles für den Gast" 2022 has shown what the future in tourism, gastronomy and hotel industry can look like. 629 exhibitors proved how innovative the industry is and how great the cohesion. 34,204 visitors came to the "Alles für den Gast", making it once again the undisputed industry meeting place of the year.

"This year's growth in exhibitors and visitors shows: the trade fair is back and an indispensable source of impetus for the entire catering and hotel industry in the entire Danube-Alpine-Adriatic region," says Benedikt Binder-Krieglstein, CEO at RX Austria & Germany, pleased with the great success of "Alles für den Gast" 2022. "It was great to see the confidence and courage with which companies are facing the future, investing and finding solutions to current problems."

Promoting young talents, energy efficiency and the increasing demand for vegan and sustainable products were omnipresent keywords. In all these areas, the "Alles für den Gast" is the "seismograph of tourism," said Salzburg's Governor Wilfried Haslauer in his opening speech. "If the trade fair goes well, then tourism can look forward to the coming months with confidence."

And confidence in the industry is high: "My most important finding of the last five days is that all the companies here have a lot of energy, that they are dynamic and want to address challenges together," says Jochen Kramer, Managing Director of Salomon FoodWorld.

Dynamic and flexibility are inevitable for the future of the gastronomy and hotel industry. Christiane Varga, trend and futurologist, made a clear appeal to all attendees: "Change is happening. If we don't participate, then it will happen without us." However, the industry must not only create incentives for its guests, but also for the people who work in tourism, Federal Minister of Labor and Economic Affairs Martin Kocher expressed his opinion at the opening. Reinhard Hanusch sees the changes as an opportunity: "We just have to rethink things and, above all, grab the next generations attention", the managing director of Lohberger is convinced.

The young are often the drivers of transformation. This was proven not only by the 24 founders in the Startup Area at the "Alles für den Gast" with their fresh ideas, but also by the more than 50 international hackathletes who, after 24 sleepless hours, presented their digital solutions to problems in the catering and hotel industry as part of the third GastroHackathon. The winning team "Skyr" convinced with a website for certified virtual basic courses for potential employees in tourism to counteract the shortage of skilled workers. At the career lounge, which was organized together with the Rolling Pin magazine, around 20 corporate partners presented themselves as potential employers to more than 800 students.

The program on three stages with over 70 talks was also held under the motto "Courage to Change". Opinion leaders from the industry discussed topics such as employees as capital, the vegan megatrend and the issue of sustainability, and gave tips on advancing digitalization. In keeping with the theme of digitalization, the interested audience was able to listen to the program not only on site, but also via virtual livestream.

Exhibitors and visitors awaited the new world of beverages with great expectations and were not disappointed. With exhibitors from the spirits, non-alcoholic drinks, wine and coffee sectors and 24 talks and master classes, the innovative concept opened up a completely new segment. Well-known bartenders and sommeliers from Austria as well as renowned brands from the beverage industry provided interested visitors with the full load of know-how and invited them to product tasting. Also in 2023, the Beverage World will be a fixed component of the "Alles für den Gast".

At the Austrian Coffee Championships, organized by SCA Austria and held for the second time as part of the industry's leading trade fair, the champions were crowned in four highly emotional competitions. Junior Vargas once again secured the title of Barista Champion. Brewers Cup winner - for the second time in a row - was Martin Wölfl. The "Latte Art" competition was won by Tamara Nadolph, and "Coffee in Good Spirits" was won by Markus Brun, who celebrated his debut at the Austrian Coffee Championships.

Save the Date: The "Alles für den Gast " 2023 will take place from November 11 to 15.

"If the trade fair goes well, then tourism can look forward positively to the coming months."

Wilfried Haslauer, Governor of the State of Salzburg

"The 'Alles für den Gast' 2022 was a great success. This year's growth in exhibitors and visitors shows: the trade fair is back and an indispensable source of impetus for the entire catering and hotel industry in the entire Danube-Alpine-Adriatic region. It was great to see the confidence and courage with which the companies look to the future, invest and find solutions to the current problems. And there is also a great curiosity for new things, as this year's highlights such as the Startup Area and the premiere of the Beverage World have shown."

Benedikt Binder-Krieglstein, CEO RX Austria & Germany

 
"The 'Alles für den Gast' has been the most important platform for the gastronomy and hotel industry in Austria for a very long time. And I believe that especially in recent years, many things have developed in a new and positive way. You can see that people want to come to the fair, they are happy to be able to meet again.

Of course, everyone in the industry is concerned about inflation and energy prices, and personnel is becoming an increasingly important issue. That's why it's even more important to appear in such networks as the 'Alles für den Gast' to solve these challenges together. I see the challenges as an opportunity, we just have to rethink things and, above all, grab the next generations attention."

Reinhard Hanusch, Managing Director, Lohberger GmbH  

"In recent years, the hospitality industry has changed. Austria has an incredibly long, deeply rooted tradition in the hospitality industry. We must be aware of this strength, but not rest on it. Change is happening. If we don't participate, then it will happen without us."

Christiane Varga, Trend and Futurologist

"I see three major challenges for the industry in the coming years. Firstly, the cost issue with rising prices for gas, energy and personnel. Secondly, the guest himself. With rising prices, many guests may soon no longer be able to afford to visit a restaurant. And the shortage of staff is also a major challenge for the restaurant and hotel industry. My main takeaway from the last five days is that all the companies here have a lot of energy, are dynamic and want to address challenges together."

Jochen Kramer, Managing Director, Salomon FoodWorld GmbH

"I am convinced of the vegan lifestyle and also the gastronomy and hotel industry will need it in the future. Hosts will have to offer vegan alternatives in the coming future so that vegan guests also find something and don't migrate to the competition. It will become a must so that all guests get a good offer."

Cassandra Winter, Managing Director, EasyVEGAN GmbH

"The Beverage World is a really fantastic addition to the 'Alles für die Gast'. It is mainly the operators themselves who come, together with their employees. They can taste and test products and acquire knowledge here. This is particularly important because today it is no longer enough to just pour drinks. The employee has to know how to work with the beverage and mix it or use it in a different way. They can learn that here."

Christopher Pohn, Head Sommelier, Weinrefugium Brolli

"For us, the 'Alles für den Gast' is still the most important platform for networking and meeting customers and interested parties. It is also the ideal platform for us to present our products. In German-speaking countries, it is definitely the flagship of the industry. One trend in the coffee industry is sustainable coffee, or organics, as we call it. In the machine sector, I see very clear trends toward simplicity in machine operation and hygiene, one-touch systems, and all that coupled with the highest quality."

Alexander Priester, Commercial Director B2B, Nespresso Österreich GmbH & Co OHG

"Our credo 'The future has begun' not only fits our exhibition stand this year, but above all also the 'Alles für den Gast' 2022. You don't change things with pessimism, but optimism. And that can be clearly felt here at 'Alles für den Gast'."

Reinhold Schärf & Marco Schärf, Managing Directors, Schärf & Sons GmbH

"The Beverage World is a great addition for the 'Alles für den Gast'! The industry is not only about cuisine and service, the beverage sector also plays an important part. The fact that in the new Beverage World the sometimes negative image of the beverage sector is cleared up and the products are qualitatively highlighted and given respect within the framework of the trade fair is something I appreciate very much."

Damir Bušić, Owner, Liquid Diary

"I think the entire industry is in a state of change. From my point of view, there are two very dominant trends and developments. For example, there is something relating to sustainability at every stand. This topic is also a very important and central one for us. We want to leave the environment to the next generation in such a way that it continues to be worth living in. The second topic is digitalization, and I think that's becoming enormously important right now, when there's a shortage of skilled workers, because digitalization can help save working hours and support workers that we all have such a hard time finding anyway."

Mag. Thomas Hell, Country Manager, Hagleitner Hygiene International GmbH

"The 'Alles für den Gast' is a fixed point for us, a meeting place for the entire industry. Integrative concepts and flexible usage models are becoming increasingly important in our sector. Customer needs are clearly in the spotlight."

Markus Ferrigato, Managing Director, WMF Professional Austria

"We see major challenges in the lack of personnel in the gastronomy sector and it is necessary to counteract these with innovations. The focus this year was once again more on the professional exchange as well as philosophizing about future trends."

Boris Burkhardt, Sales Manager Professional Solutions, BWT Austria GmbH

"The 'Alles für den Gast' is the central contact point for the hotel and gastronomy industry in Austria. This year there were many high-quality visitors, fewer private individuals and more businesses."

Matthias Haslhofer, Area Sales Manager Zwettl, Kastner Group

"From the 'Alles für den Gast' we take away that it is important to work continuously on customer contact even in difficult times and also to keep innovating in order to be able to offer solutions to problems for the gastronomy sector."

Erwin Egger, Sales Manager Austria, Adolf Darbo AG

"We are exhibiting for the first time at 'Alles für den Gast' because we think the Beverage World is a very exciting platform. Here we can talk directly to trade visitors about our products and pour out samples. In our masterclass on the stage at the Beverage World, it was possible for us to once again draw attention to ourselves and our spirits in a very individual and interactive way."

Stefanos Aleksandrov Miskovic , Brand Ambassador, Vienna Distribution

"Today's guests have understandably become much more sensitive about the products and dishes they find on their plates. For this, you need suppliers who live this zeitgeist and can be trusted."

Florian Fledersbacher, Head of Group Marketing, Eurogast Österreich GmbH

"We notice that the value of products is rising again. The demand for strong brands and concepts as well as genuine and honest products has increased even more. Organic products have also clearly found their permanent place in the gastronomy sector."

Marcel Kilga, Sales Manager Austria, Rauch Fruchtsäfte GmbH & Co OG

"For us as a machine manufacturer, the topic of energy efficiency and savings is clearly very important at the moment, and we have been pursuing this for many years. But it will certainly become even more intensive."

Johann Freigassner, Managing Director, Winterhalter Gastronom GmbH

"The mood is great in the industry. Everyone is here again. It's been turned into a really nice class reunion. It's just nice. And I think the next few months and years are going to be great, that the restaurant industry will continue to grow and be on a good course."

Christian Nezmah, COO, Rolling Pin

"I think when you're here, you again feel the optimism that is exuded in our industry. Anyone who has been here knows the potential that our industry has. Like all industries, it's getting a little tighter everywhere, but I think the good gastronomers, they also have a very positive future ahead of them."

Manfred Kröswang, Owner, KRÖSWANG GmbH

"The current challenge is the issue of personnel, the willingness to work. System gastronomy will continue to make progress in the future, while traditional gastronomy will find it increasingly difficult. People's consumer behavior has also changed because everything has to be faster and easier. That's a challenge."

Johann Schrems, Head of Sales Promotion, Brau Union Österreich AG