MADRID, Spain, October 22nd of 2015. The first Spanish Halal expo, ExpoHalal Spain 2015, opened its doors yesterday in Madrid with over 60 exhibitors and a great affluence.
“We are very happy with the expectations we have risen for this first edition. We have had more than 60 exhibitors, and visitors from at least 40 countries. The feedback from the foreign delegations has been very positive too”, pointed Anwar El Mezwaghi, chairman of Ambar Connect, the Company behind the Expo.
“The Expo was a meeting point to gather together two worlds, two cultures, two ways of life” stated María Dolores Bolarín, representative of the spanish parliament, during the opening act.
The first Halal expo held in Spain met exhibitors from the agro food sector, but also from tourism, cosmetics and logistical companies.
“Our Company decided to go for this Project with the firm conviction that the expo could really help Spain to become the meeting point of the Halal industry at a global level”, signaled Carolina de Funes, director of Ambar Connect, who thanked the support of institutions like ICEX, Turespaña, Casa Árabe or Madrid Destino.
Travel agencies like Exclusive Spain Tours have presented its services for the muslim visitor, like trips of historic interest, shopping o renting of luxury vehicles, with arab speaking driver assistants from the company Ready Cars and Vans, for example.
“The islamic tourism is the one showing a higher percentual growth in Europe, even over the chinese one”, said El Corte Inglés, a Company that works on the promotion in the arab countries to set Spain as a primary shopping destiny.
One of the points of interest during the first day of Expo was the presence in the stand of Balkis Gourmet of one of the best spanish ham slicers, who demonstrated his skill with the brand new lamb ham. The sweet spot came from chocolates Maruja, a spanish firm well known in the Maghreb; Elgorriaga, with more than 250 years of experience, and the traditional candies from El Caserío de Tafalla. Needless to talk about the strong presence of the Murcia region towards, for instance, Port of Cartagena.
The spanish meat companies were also present at the expo and left a footprint of their long history in the Halal sector thanks to over 30 stands.
In the shopping industry, Las Rozas Village has been a key player for the implementation of hospitality facilities in Madrid for this group of visitors.