Accommodation general managers face the same pressures: rising equipment, freight, energy and food costs, and increasingly consequential purchasing decisions. Supply chains account for a large share of a property’s spending, yet operators rarely get to compare options in one place. Next week, they can.
HOTEC 2026, FHTA’s biennial trade exhibition, runs next week on October 22-23 at Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi Bay Resort and Spa in Wailoaloa.
HOTEC gives the industry a place to explore more innovative, efficient ways of doing business and helps operators communicate their needs directly to suppliers. Face-to-face conversations can answer practical questions that brochures and emails often cannot.
In the kitchen, where capital spending can bite hardest, Unox, Moffat, SKOPE, Vision Commercial, Creative Bakery Solutions and Home & Living Commercial will offer ovens, refrigeration, ice machines and blenders. Winterhalter with Classeq and MEIKO Australia Pacific present commercial dishwashers, while Furnz Group and Conpro Commercial Kitchens cover design and fit-out for new builds and refurbishments. Operators can compare equipment and ask about servicing, parts and performance amid Fiji’s off-grid power and water challenges.
Water and energy are key concerns for resorts and restaurants, particularly with dry conditions forecast. FUSO Group Holdings will present rainwater harvesting and desalination, while For Earth offers water and wastewater treatment. Fiji Gas, with Rinnai Australia, brings LPG hot water systems, and BAUER Kompressoren Australia will showcase breathing air compressors for dive operators.
Technology and security are also represented. Shiji brings property management, point-of-sale and reputation software; Vingcard and Dormakaba cover electronic locks and access systems. VSP Security Wholesale will demonstrate AI-based video surveillance and preview an access-control platform planned for launch in 2027.
Local sourcing remains an important focus. Fiji Island Sea Prawns will bring a live aquarium to demonstrate how freshly harvested Fiji prawns compare with imported frozen products. Rooster Poultry and Ram Sami & Sons present locally produced chicken and eggs. Portion Pak offers sustainable guest amenities made with Taveuni coconut oil, home-compostable food packaging and refillable water bottles. CJ Patel, with warehouses in Lami, Lautoka and Labasa, supplies pantry, beverage and paper products nationwide. Buying from Fiji producers supports jobs well beyond tourism.
Food and beverage buyers can explore new and familiar options. Mainland Dairy will offer a first sample of its Anchor Zero Lacto milk, while Yee’s Fiji hosts baking demonstrations and tastings. Victoria Wines and Spirits and Wines & Spirits, a division of Punjas, will offer tastings; Victoria Wines will also run a WSET-led wine training session.
For refurbishments, visitors can meet Furniture Partners, Regency Furniture International and The Hotel Space Limited. Returning exhibitor Decked Out Fiji will showcase uniform designs and manufacturing; Shade7 will display wind-rated outdoor umbrellas, and Tropical Thatching Oceania will feature synthetic roof thatching. FIHS Ltd covers commercial floor coatings and waterproofing, GOKALS supplies refrigeration, televisions and air conditioning, and Movements International offers freight, customs clearance and warehousing. Housekeeping and engineering teams can discuss cleaning, laundry and pest management with Fiji Chemicals.
HOTEC 2026 is backed by a strong group of sponsors and partners. Austrade and Trade and Investment Queensland (TIQ) are the Platinum Sponsors, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise the Gold Sponsor, New Caledonia Trade & Invest and the Pacific Ocean Litter Project are the two Silver Sponsors, and Palmex International is the Bronze Sponsor.
The partnerships extend beyond the exhibition floor, with Austrade and TIQ sponsoring Friday’s Gala Dinner, NZTE hosting Thursday’s Welcome Cocktail, and Palmex International keeping exhibitors fuelled with sponsored lunches across both days.
Both Silver Sponsors also support HOTEC’s Industry Information Sessions, which run alongside the exhibition at the same venue. The Pacific Ocean Litter Project sponsors Thursday’s sessions, covering tourism legislation, compliance, licensing and Fiji’s Tourism Standards, while New Caledonia Trade & Invest sponsors Friday’s sessions on workforce development, local procurement, community partnerships and business resilience through energy, water, waste and climate action.
The Austrade delegation includes Sidewood Estates, a certified sustainable Adelaide Hills winegrower, and Noah’s Creative Juices, offering not-from-concentrate juices and smoothies. Vitasoy supplies plant-based milks and yoghurts; TAG Foods presents QimiQ cooking creams and Beyond Oil, which extends frying oil life; and Prestige Foods International supplies premium food exports to resorts across the Pacific and Indian Ocean. Sandhurst completes the group with Mediterranean pantry products.
Trade and Investment Queensland brings Commercial Kitchen Design, introducing a procurement service called Resort & Hotel Supplies. Barnes & Brown will showcase alcohol-free spirits, while Mr Consistent offers pre-batched cocktails for guests seeking more choice. SANAME, Morlife and RID focus on guest wellbeing, with collagen brews, superfood and breakfast products, and insect repellent respectively.
The New Zealand delegation includes KlipTank, with modular water storage tanks for off-grid and backup supply. Wattie’s, Griffin’s Snacks and Green Meadows Beef bring familiar food brands in innovative packaging, with Griffin’s through Tappoos and Green Meadows through Five Star Foods. Be Nourished offers organic fermented foods, while Delish Connect supplies citrus, avocados and mushrooms directly from growers.
New Caledonia Trade & Invest brings eight exhibitors: Lycée Auguste Escoffier for hospitality training, MALONGO for coffee solutions, and Les Cacaos du Pacifique for premium chocolate and potential links with Fijian cocoa. Ecobag supplies paper and cardboard packaging, while Laïta – Paysan Breton offers French dairy products. BCI provides banking and trade finance, Meubles du Pacifique specialises in bespoke furniture and hospitality interiors, and Distillerie Les Grosses Gouttes produces artisanal spirits inspired by New Caledonia.
HOTEC’s event partners help bring the exhibition and its activities to life. South Pacific Coffee Company is the official coffee supplier, providing a free coffee station for attendees, while Pleass Global is the official hydration partner, supplying water throughout the event. Encore is the official AV partner, Fiji Times the official media partner, Communications Fiji Limited/Magic Factory the official digital media partner, and The Glassware Company the official glassware provider.
Competition partners will support HOTEC’s program, with South Pacific Coffee Company partnering the HOTEC Barista Competition, Vision Commercial the HOTEC Bar Competition, and the Fiji Chefs Association the HOTEC Culinary Competition. Their contributions help deliver the practical demonstrations and competitions that showcase skills across the hospitality industry.
HOTEC is for more than general managers. Chefs, food and beverage managers, procurement officers, engineers, housekeeping leaders and owners all have a reason to attend, alongside independent restaurants, developers and architects. Properties of every size are welcome, and the two-day format allows teams to send different people on different days.
The aim is for visitors to leave with quotations requested, supplier relationships started and options they may not have considered. A supplier met in Nadi on 22 October could be the one a property relies on next peak season.
Registration is free but required. Email info@fhta.com.fj for a registration link and plan to attend.
Exhibitors and tourism industry stakeholders interact at a recent HOTEC trade show in Nadi. Picture: SUPPLIED
