Hostelco 2028 – Barcelona, Spain

What to expect

HOSTELCO 2028 is an international trade show dedicated to equipment, technology, products, services and solutions for the hospitality, catering and collective restoration industries. Organised by Alimentaria Exhibitions, a Fira de Barcelona company, HOSTELCO is one of the major professional meeting points for the Horeca ecosystem and is held alongside Alimentaria, creating a broader platform covering food, foodservice, hospitality and related business solutions.

The event is aimed primarily at hospitality and foodservice professionals rather than the general public. Visitors can expect a large-scale exhibition where manufacturers, distributors, technology providers, designers, consultants and service companies present equipment, furnishings, digital solutions and operational innovations.

The exhibition is structured around five principal thematic areas:

• Fully Equipped: Professional equipment, machinery and accessories for hospitality operations.
• Setting: Tableware, service products and related solutions.
• Atmosphere: Interior design, decoration, textiles, furniture, wellness and ambience-related products.
• Tech: Technology, software, digital tools and entertainment solutions.
• Coffee, Bakery & Pastry: Professional products, equipment and solutions shared with the wider Alimentaria platform.

The show also places considerable emphasis on innovation, sustainability, digital transformation, business development and professional networking. The organiser describes HOSTELCO as a platform designed to connect hospitality businesses with suppliers, new products, technologies and international markets.

Event dates

HOSTELCO 2028 will take place from 20–23 March 2028 at Fira de Barcelona’s Gran Via venue in Barcelona, Spain. The official visitor timetable is 09:30–18:30 from 20–22 March, while the final day runs from 09:30–17:00.

The event is held as part of the Alimentaria + HOSTELCO trade-show platform. HOSTELCO follows a biennial pattern, with the organiser describing it as a major international event taking place every two years.

Visiting this event? Don’t miss out on these amazing activities and local experiences while you’re here.

Venue & exhibition site

HOSTELCO 2028 will be hosted at Fira de Barcelona – Gran Via, one of the largest exhibition venues in Spain.

The official venue address is:

Fira Barcelona Gran Via
Av. Joan Carles I, 64
08908 L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain

The Gran Via complex provides approximately 240,000 square metres of gross exhibition area, extensive visitor facilities, restaurants, transport connections and 4,580 parking spaces.

The venue is positioned in the modern business district between Barcelona and L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, with direct connections to the metropolitan transport network and Barcelona-El Prat Airport.

HOSTELCO uses the wider Gran Via exhibition infrastructure, with access routes and entrances distributed around the site. The organiser identifies the northeast access around Halls 4–6, the east access around Halls 2–3 and the south access on Joan Carles I Avenue.

Full event programme

The detailed HOSTELCO 2028 programme has not yet been fully published. The official website is expected to provide the confirmed programme closer to the event, including conferences, demonstrations, talks, competitions, networking activities and specialist presentations.

Based on the latest available programme, visitors can expect a combination of:

• The Horeca Hub: Industry talks, keynotes, round tables and discussions focused on hospitality and foodservice.
• Showcooking and culinary demonstrations: Live demonstrations showing equipment, ingredients, techniques and professional applications.
• Technology presentations: Sessions examining digitalisation, automation, software and technology in hospitality.
• Startup activities: Presentations and pitching opportunities involving emerging food and hospitality technology companies.
• Business meetings: Opportunities for suppliers, buyers, distributors and hospitality professionals to develop commercial relationships.
• Industry routes: Curated routes designed to help visitors identify relevant suppliers and solutions efficiently.
• Competitions and awards: Professional competitions and recognition programmes connected with hospitality, foodservice and culinary sectors.

The organiser’s activities platform is designed to provide schedules and speakers for workshops, conferences, round tables and other activities once they are confirmed.

Key speakers & keynote speakers

The final HOSTELCO 2028 speaker programme has not yet been announced. Visitors should therefore use the official programme rather than relying on unofficial speaker lists.

The latest edition demonstrates the type of senior industry participation that HOSTELCO attracts. Speakers and contributors have included hospitality executives, chefs, technology specialists, purchasing professionals, foodservice leaders, startup representatives and representatives of major industry organisations.

Recent programme examples include discussions about the changing relationship between retail and hospitality, consumption trends, digitalisation, foodservice profitability, technology adoption and new operating models.

Previous programming has also featured professionals such as executives and specialists from companies and organisations including Glovo, AECOC, Friman, Scal and other hospitality and foodservice businesses.

For 2028, the most reliable speaker information will be the official HOSTELCO activity programme once the organiser publishes the confirmed schedule.

Conference sessions & tracks

HOSTELCO’s conference content is closely connected with the practical challenges facing hospitality and foodservice businesses.

The latest programme has addressed subjects including:

• Hospitality transformation: Changing consumer behaviour and evolving hospitality formats.
• Technology and digitalisation: Software, automation, artificial intelligence and digital business tools.
• Sustainability: Energy efficiency, responsible operations, waste management and resource optimisation.
• Foodservice innovation: New service models, kitchen technologies and operational improvements.
• Talent and workforce: Labour shortages, skills development and talent retention.
• Design and experience: Interior environments, furniture, table settings and customer experience.
• Coffee, bakery and pastry: Equipment, production systems, professional techniques and specialist products.
• Startups and innovation: Emerging technologies, entrepreneurship, investment and new hospitality solutions.

The Horeca Hub has become an important knowledge and networking area, bringing together experts to examine developments affecting the sector. The organiser has specifically highlighted artificial intelligence, robotics, sustainability and workforce challenges as important themes for the hospitality industry.

Session times & schedule

The detailed 2028 session timetable is not yet available. Once released, the official HOSTELCO programme will provide individual session times, locations, speakers and formats.

Based on the latest programme structure, activities can include:

• Keynote presentations
• Industry round tables
• Technical presentations
• Culinary demonstrations
• Product demonstrations
• Startup pitches
• Business meetings
• Industry routes
• Competitions
• Awards and recognition activities

The latest official activity system allows visitors to filter events by day, format, subject, location and time, making it possible to build a personalised itinerary.

Visitors should allow additional time between sessions because the exhibition is spread across a large venue and includes multiple halls and activity areas.

Ticket types & registration

HOSTELCO is primarily a professional trade event. Registration is therefore intended for professionals working across hospitality, catering, foodservice, distribution, technology, design, procurement and related sectors.

The principal access categories can include:

• Professional visitor registration: For professionals attending the exhibition and business activities.
• Exhibitor registration: For companies participating with exhibition space.
• Hosted Buyers: Selected high-level national and international buyers may receive special conditions and support through the organiser’s buyer programmes.
• Key Buyers: Selected national buyers can participate in a dedicated buyer programme.
• Press accreditation: Qualified journalists and media professionals can apply for press access.
• Content creator accreditation: Eligible content creators can request dedicated professional accreditation subject to the organiser’s requirements.

For the latest available edition, press accreditation provided free access to the exhibition, conferences, side events and press lounge.

The 2028 visitor ticket price has not yet been published in the official material currently available. I have therefore not inserted an unsupported admission price. The organiser should be checked for the final registration conditions when visitor registration opens.

Registration deadlines

The final HOSTELCO 2028 visitor-registration deadline has not yet been announced.

Professional visitors should register as soon as the official registration portal becomes available, particularly if they want to organise meetings, use buyer services or plan a multi-day business visit.

Special accreditation categories can have separate deadlines. For example, the organiser previously applied a specific accreditation deadline for content creators. Exhibitors also have separate operational and promotional deadlines depending on the service or participation package selected.

Exhibitor list & major companies

The official 2028 exhibitor list has not yet been released. The organiser normally provides an online exhibitors and products catalogue that allows visitors to search participating companies and products.

The latest edition demonstrated the scale of the combined Alimentaria + HOSTELCO platform, with more than 3,300 exhibiting companies from around 70 countries. The event attracted nearly 109,600 professional visitors from 120 countries, with international visitors representing approximately one quarter of attendance.

Major companies and industry organisations associated with the HOSTELCO ecosystem have included names such as McDonald’s Spain, Rancilio Group, Welbilt, CEHAT-ITH, Foodservice Institute, AECOC, Fedis Horeca and Intecno.

Recent exhibitor innovations have included solutions from Mettifogo, Culligan, IRINOX, SODECA, Bongard, COMATEC and Mil-tek, covering professional hygiene, water solutions, refrigeration, ventilation, bakery equipment, presentation products and waste-management technology.

Exhibition halls & floor plan

The final HOSTELCO 2028 floor plan has not yet been published. Visitors should use the official site map when it becomes available because hall assignments can change between editions.

The Gran Via venue contains multiple large exhibition halls and extensive internal walkways. HOSTELCO’s latest access information identifies the northeast entrance around Halls 4–6 and the east entrance around Halls 2–3.

The exhibition is organised thematically to make it easier for visitors to find relevant suppliers. The five core HOSTELCO areas cover equipment, table setting, atmosphere and design, technology, and coffee/bakery/pastry solutions.

The organiser also provides an exhibitor and products catalogue, which is particularly useful for locating companies before entering the venue. The catalogue can be searched using filters, although the organiser states that it is not provided as an Excel or Google Sheets file.

Networking & business meetings

Business networking is one of the central purposes of HOSTELCO. The event is designed to bring together suppliers with hospitality operators, distributors, buyers, importers, purchasing groups, restaurants, hotels and other professional users.

The organiser’s Hosted Buyers Programme is designed to attract high-level international and national professionals and can include travel support and special conditions for meetings with exhibitors. The Key Buyers Programme similarly focuses on high-level national buyers.

Business opportunities can also develop through:

• Direct exhibitor meetings
• Buyer programmes
• Networking areas
• Startup pitching
• Industry conferences
• Distributor routes
• Technology demonstrations
• Supplier presentations
• Professional competitions and awards

The Distributor Route is specifically designed to connect visitors with equipment distributors, technical services, climate control, ventilation, industrial laundry, tableware, textiles, furniture, décor and technology providers.

Industry sectors & highlights

HOSTELCO covers a broad range of hospitality and foodservice requirements.

Fully Equipped: Professional kitchen equipment, machinery, accessories and operational systems form a major part of the exhibition.

Setting: This area focuses on tableware, service products and solutions that contribute to food presentation and front-of-house operations.

Atmosphere: Furniture, decoration, interior design, textiles, wellness and related products support the creation of hospitality environments.

Tech: Digital systems, software, entertainment, automation and technology solutions address the growing need for connected hospitality operations.

Coffee, Bakery & Pastry: Professional coffee, bakery, pastry and related equipment and solutions form another important part of the combined exhibition platform.

Cross-sector themes include sustainability, energy efficiency, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, robotics, workforce development, customer experience and operational profitability.

Event rules & visitor information

HOSTELCO is designed for professional visitors, and the organiser has specific access rules.

Visitors should carry their official registration or access credential and follow the instructions provided at the venue. The organiser states that people under 18 are not permitted to enter, with a specific exception allowing women with infants up to one year old under the stated conditions.

Visitors should also be cautious about unofficial companies offering visitor databases. HOSTELCO explicitly warns exhibitors that it does not sell or provide its visitor database to third parties and advises exhibitors to ignore suspicious offers claiming otherwise.

The venue provides visitor information points, restaurants, access services and cloakroom facilities. The organiser’s latest information states that cloakroom service is available in designated halls for a charge of approximately $3.30 per item based on the published euro price and exchange-rate conversion at the time of research.

How to get there

Fira Barcelona Gran Via is located at Av. Joan Carles I, 64, 08908 L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona.

The venue is approximately 12 kilometres from Barcelona-El Prat Airport and is connected to the airport and Barcelona metropolitan area by public transport.

By car, the venue is connected to major roads including the AP-7, AP-2, A-2, C-16, C-31, C-32 and C-33.

Barcelona-Sants railway station is approximately 4 kilometres from the exhibition centre and provides regional, national and international rail connections.

Public transport & parking

The easiest public transport option from Barcelona-El Prat Airport is generally Metro Line L9 Sud, with Fira and Europa/Fira stations serving the Gran Via area.

Other metro and transport connections include:

• Metro L9 Sud: Fira and Europa/Fira stations
• Metro L10 Sud: Foc station
• FGC: Europa/Fira station
• Bus: H12, V1, 46, 65 and 79
• Renfe: Barcelona-Sants connection
• Taxi: Taxi ranks are available at the Fira grounds

The official Gran Via venue has approximately 4,580 parking spaces.

Parking availability and operating arrangements can vary according to the event, so visitors travelling by car should check the official venue information before travelling.

Accommodation areas

The most convenient accommodation areas are around L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Plaza Europa and the southern side of Barcelona, where visitors can remain close to the Gran Via exhibition centre.

For visitors who want easier access to central Barcelona attractions as well as the exhibition, areas around Sants, Eixample and central Barcelona provide a wider selection of hotels and restaurants, although travel time to the venue can be longer.

Staying near Plaza Europa or the Gran Via area is particularly useful for professionals with early starts, multiple meetings or evening networking commitments.

Barcelona’s extensive metro, rail and taxi network also means visitors can stay farther from the venue while maintaining relatively convenient access.

Previous year’s highlights

The previous edition demonstrated the scale and international reach of the combined Alimentaria + HOSTELCO platform. More than 3,300 exhibiting companies participated, including around 1,200 companies from more than 70 countries, while nearly 109,600 professionals attended from 120 countries.

The exhibition highlighted innovation across hospitality, foodservice, technology and equipment, with companies presenting new refrigeration, ventilation, waste-management, packaging, kitchen and service solutions.

The programme also included The Horeca Hub, startup activities, culinary demonstrations, industry routes, networking opportunities, competitions and specialist conferences.

The strong international participation and high proportion of professional visitors reinforced HOSTELCO’s role as a business-focused exhibition rather than a general consumer fair.

Official registration & tickets

Official visitor registration, programme information and access details should be obtained directly from the HOSTELCO website.

Official HOSTELCO website and registration information (https://www.hostelco.com/)

The organiser’s official website is the best source for the final 2028 visitor registration procedure, ticket conditions, exhibitor catalogue, programme, venue map and accreditation requirements.

Because the 2028 registration system and admission pricing have not yet been fully published, visitors should avoid relying on third-party ticket sellers or unofficial registration pages.

For professional visitors, registering through the official organiser is especially important because HOSTELCO provides professional programmes and business services that may not be available through unofficial channels.