Crowded aisles, stands showcasing the latest products and services, ovens and kitchens in full operation, auditoriums featuring leading voices from politics, economics and the hospitality industry, and parallel activities taking place throughout the exhibition grounds.
That was the atmosphere during the three days of Hotelga 2026, organized by the Argentine Hotel and Gastronomy Business Federation (FEHGRA), the Argentine Tourism Hotels Association (AHT) and Messe Frankfurt Argentina, at La Rural Trade Center Buenos Aires. The exhibition occupied a space 40% larger than previous editions, featuring more than 200 exhibiting brands, including over 40 companies participating for the first time.
Several provinces and regions also participated through dedicated pavilions, including Buenos Aires City, Mendoza, Córdoba and Neuquén, where local producers and companies showcased their products, services and projects, creating new opportunities for engagement with the hospitality and gastronomy sectors.
Daniel Prieto, President of FEHGRA, stated: “We far exceeded our expectations with a 21% increase in visitors. We are especially pleased with the quality of the audience, as 90% were industry professionals who also took part in our business matchmaking activities. In addition, we incorporated new cultural and content-driven experiences such as Cerrame la 8, Buenos Aires Foodie, and the governors’ and economists’ debates, which helped increase our visibility and transform Hotelga into much more than a place to meet suppliers. From now on, the exhibition will serve as the annual meeting point for Argentina’s hospitality and gastronomy industries.”
AHT President Gabriela Ferrucci added: “Hotelga reflects an industry that never stands still, one that invests, innovates and constantly seeks new ways to grow. This edition once again demonstrated the strength of a sector that generates opportunities, employment and development. It also allowed us to continue promoting key strategic themes such as sustainability, through the Grand Final of the Sustainable Hospitality Competition, and regional integration through meetings with hospitality associations from across Latin America. We remain committed to supporting this transformation and ensuring that Argentina’s hospitality industry becomes increasingly competitive.”
Meanwhile, Fernando Gorbarán, President and CEO of Messe Frankfurt Argentina, highlighted: “Once again, we renewed our commitment to an industry facing significant challenges, yet finding in innovation, collaboration and long-term vision the tools needed to continue evolving. Hotelga is much more than an exhibition. Over these days, experiences, knowledge and projects were shared that will help shape the future of hospitality and gastronomy.”
An Edition Full of Experiences, Networking and Parallel Activities
Throughout the three days of the exhibition, the Grand Final of the Federal Chefs Tournament took place, a competition dedicated to promoting Argentine cuisine and raising professional culinary standards. The 30 finalist teams competed live, representing their regions through ingredients, techniques and presentations that reflected the richness and diversity of Argentina’s culinary traditions. The winners were:
1st Place: Sarasanegro, Mar del Plata
2nd Place: Hotel Boutique Gualamba, Chaco
3rd Place: Design Suites Hotel, El Calafate
Another highly anticipated highlight was the Grand Final of the Sustainable Hospitality Competition, which recognizes tourism accommodations and innovative student projects that integrate sustainability principles into the hospitality value chain across Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Chile. Winners included:
· “Actions That Create History” Category: Aguasol: Sustainability with a Future – Aguasol Hotel Termal (Uruguay)
· “Innovative Ideas” Category: GreenAlchemy Hotel: Waste Tells Stories Too – Universidad Americana / Alicia Bareiro (Paraguay)
· “Most Inspiring Story” Category: Aguasol: Sustainability with a Future – Aguasol Hotel Termal (Uruguay)
· “Most Inspiring Idea” Category: Sand Thermal Batteries for Sustainable Hospitality – Instituto de Formación Técnica Superior No. 222 / Karim Coria, Cintia Carmona and Bruno Malcotti (Argentina)
For the first time, Hotelga also hosted the 2nd World Pizza and Empanada Championship, organized by the Association of Pizza and Empanada Restaurant Owners (APYCE). The competition featured 12 categories over the course of the exhibition. The winner of the 2026 World Pizza Championship earned a trip to Parma, Italy, to compete in the 2027 World Pizza Championship, while participants achieving the best overall scores in the Mozzarella Pizza and Argentine Fugazzeta categories secured places in the 6th Spanish Gourmet Pizza Championship, to be held in Madrid in 2027.
Future professionals also played an important role at Hotelga 2026. More than 1,400 students attended the exhibition through educational institutions, connecting with industry leaders and gaining first-hand exposure to the world of hospitality and gastronomy.
Politics, Economics and Current Affairs at the Center of the Debate
Hotelga 2026 featured the participation of prominent political and economic leaders. On opening day, Karina Milei, Secretary General of the Presidency, attended the exhibition and met with industry representatives. The official opening ceremony also welcomed Diego Santilli, Chief of Cabinet of Ministers of Argentina; Daniel Scioli, Secretary of Tourism, Environment and Sports; and Hernán Lombardi, Minister of Economic Development of Buenos Aires City.
Within the framework of the Hotelga Summit, journalist Ramón Indart moderated several high-profile discussions, including: A Governors Forum featuring Raúl Jalil (Catamarca), Jorge Macri (Buenos Aires City), and Alfredo Cornejo (Mendoza); an economic outlook panel with economists Osvaldo Giordano, Antonio Aracre, and Matías Kulfas; a political affairs and public opinion panel featuring journalist Luciana Geuna and political analyst Mora Jozami.
Another highlight was the Latin America Tourism and Hospitality Forum, bringing together hospitality associations from Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay. Participants included: José Andrés Duarte, Executive President of COTELCO Colombia; Liliana Picasso, First Vice President of AHORA Peru; Freddy Gamarra, General Manager of AHORA Peru; Francisco Rodríguez Cabo, President of AHRU Uruguay; Juan Danieri, President of AIHPY Paraguay; Alberto Pirola, President of Hoteleros de Chile; and Aldo Elías, First Vice President of AHT Argentina.
Another featured Summit session was “Leadership, Work and New Generations,” led by Patricia Jebsen, a renowned speaker, author, and content creator, who analyzed the challenges of talent management in the hospitality industry. The session was moderated by Marcela Vita, Director of People & Culture at Four Seasons Buenos Aires and member of the AHT Board of Directors, and Alejandra Rodríguez Díaz, General Manager of Gran Hotel Ailen and member of FEHGRA’s Executive Committee. The Summit also hosted live recordings of Cerrame la Ocho and Late Check-Out, two of the most listened-to podcasts in the hospitality and gastronomy sector.
Meanwhile, in the Open Auditorium, the consultancy firm STR presented an analysis of hotel performance in Argentina and across the region, addressing future demand and upcoming developments. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts also delivered a presentation on the main myths and realities surrounding hotel franchising, as well as successful formulas for owners and destinations.
In addition, architects Mariana Tambussi, member of the Society of Architects, and Sabrina Mandel, professor at the University of Buenos Aires and founder and director of SMLD Lighting Design Studio, analyzed the latest lighting trends, considering guest experience and profitability as key drivers of hospitality projects.
The Open Auditorium also hosted more than 20 Exhibitor Conferences, during which participating companies presented new products, technologies, and solutions.
Featured Areas at Hotelga 2026
At the Buenos Aires City booth, Buenos Aires Foodie took place, an initiative promoted by AHRCC together with Visit Buenos Aires and the Buenos Aires City Tourism Board, featuring a program of talks and activities that brought together leading figures from the national and international gastronomy scene. During the event, the new list of “Buenos Aires Iconic Restaurants” was announced, now including Cervecería López (Villa Ortúzar), Chiquilín (Tribunales), El Globo (Monserrat), Gardiner (Costanera Norte), Piegari Ristorante (Recoleta), Pucará (Caballito), Puerto Cristal (Puerto Madero), and Spiagge di Napoli (Boedo).
Buenos Aires Foodie also brought together chefs recognized by the MICHELIN Guide to discuss and debate the evolution of local gastronomy. Martín Rebaudino (Roux) spoke about the craft of the contemporary restaurant; Mariano Ramón (Gran Dabbang), Lucas Canga and Clara Corso (Garabato), Jazmín Marturet (MN Santa Inés), and Facundo Kelemen (Mengano) analyzed quality and accessibility in gastronomic offerings while highlighting the value of products and their identity. Meanwhile, Germán Sitz (La Carnicería), Juan Carlino (Gaucha), and Emiliano Yulita (El Mercado) discussed the role of meat in Argentina’s gastronomic identity and presented the first edition of Meat & Fire together with Juani Fuoco.
Later, Gabriel Oggero (Crizia) and Pedro Barguero (AMLGM) explored the potential of the sea as part of Argentina’s gastronomic identity. Regional trends and fine dining were also addressed through the Latin American perspectives of James Berckemeyer (Cosme, Lima) and Pedro Chavarría (Demo Magnolia, Santiago de Chile). Finally, Gonzalo Aramburu (Aramburu) and Tomás Treschanski (Trescha) discussed the evolution of Buenos Aires gastronomy, the professionalization of the sector, and its position on the international scene and within the MICHELIN Guide.
Other notable spaces included:
- Business Lounge: A total of 250 business meetings were held between 19 hotels and 97 exhibitors.
- Technology Hub: Featured companies specializing in artificial intelligence, software, automation, and robotics for the hospitality and foodservice industries. Participating companies included TP-Link, Mozoo, iP Hoteles, Interconnect, PVS, Symtron, Tercer Piso, Ars Technologies, We Speak, Bittel Americas, and GNA Hotel Solutions Argentina.
- Wines of Argentina Area: Organized in collaboration with Argentina’s Tourism Secretariat, the space brought together wineries, sommeliers, winemakers, and wine labels from across the country, offering visitors the opportunity to learn about production processes and food pairings. Wine-producing provinces represented included Jujuy, Salta, Tucumán, Santiago del Estero, La Rioja, Catamarca, Mendoza, San Luis, Córdoba, Río Negro, Neuquén, and Chubut.
- Craft Beer Plaza: Featured 10 craft beer brands under the coordination of Martín Boan, Argentina’s first beer sommelier. The area also hosted talks and training sessions led by sommeliers and industry experts.
- Vermouth Space: This new initiative highlighted vermouth as an integral part of the hospitality and dining experience, creating a meeting point between brands and Hotelga visitors.
- Hotelga ArDesign: Curated by Marcela Fibbiani of 90+10 magazine, the space showcased the work of six Argentine brands dedicated to design and local production. Participating companies included Pared, Ecléctica, Frags, Manfroni Iluminación, Nuestro Estudio, and Curadoras, presenting furniture, décor, textiles, lighting, accessories, and tableware solutions for the hospitality and gastronomy sectors.
Organized by FEHGRA, AHT and Messe Frankfurt Argentina, Hotelga 2026 once again established itself as the leading meeting place for Argentina’s hospitality and gastronomy industries, combining business opportunities, professional development, innovation, experiences and competitions.
The next edition of Hotelga will take place in 2027.
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Information about FEHGRA
Since 1941, the Argentine Hotel and Restaurant Business Federation has represented all the country's activity. Its objective is to defend the interests of the sector and collaborate in the development of gastronomy, hotels and tourism. The entity brings together more than 84,000 companies, grouped in its Entities. There are 67,000 gastronomic establishments and 17,000 hoteliers.
More information in https://fehgra.org.ar/
Information about AHT
The Argentine Tourism Hotel Association is a non-profit organization with extensive experience, recognition and presence throughout the national territory founded in February 1977. It groups and represents the most important hotels in the country, distinguished by the quality of their facilities and the excellence of the services provided to their guests. The AHT supports the interests of the hotel and tourism sector together with the public and private sectors, to strengthen the competitiveness of its members and respond to their needs.
More information in https://www.ahtra.com.ar/
Information about Messe Frankfurt Argentina
It is the local subsidiary of Messe Frankfurt GmbH, the world's leading professional exhibition organization company. The objective of its events is to promote real business meetings that stimulate regional markets, encourage the domestic market and in turn urge the development of the technological pole in each area. Currently the portfolio of events of Messe Frankfurt Argentina includes the exhibitions: Automechanika Buenos Aires, BIEL Light + Building Buenos Aires, Emitex, Simatex, Confemaq, ExpoFerretera, Hotelga, Intersec Buenos Aires, Salón Moto, Tecno Fidta and Arminera. In addition, it holds numerous congresses and special events for third parties, such as Argentina Oil & Gas Expo Buenos Aires, Argentina Oil & Gas Expo Patagonia and ExpoEFI, among others.
More information in www.ar.messefrankfurt.com
Learn more about the Messe Frankfurt Group
www.messefrankfurt.com/background-information