Continued growth, especially in the sectors represented at Host Milano. This is the trend of trade interchange between the European Union and GCC countries and, in particular, Saudi Arabia. Suffice it to say that, according to recent ExportPlanning data, in 2023 these sectors generated €1.31 billion, a value that will rise to €1.6 billion in 2027 thanks to a CAGR of 6.2 percent. With 455.9 million euros – poised to become 598.9 million in 2027, a CAGR of +7.1 percent – Saudi Arabia is the second largest market in the region, surpassed only by the United Arab Emirates, with 612.2 million euros (791 million in 2027, CAGR +6.6 percent).

It is precisely as a result of this growing interest that Fiera Milano has decided to bring forward the dates of Host Arabia, a business and networking event organized with local partner Semark, the next step in an internationalization process that aims to meet with industry players directly in the markets of greatest interest. The project has been welcomed by Italian companies, which are strongly export-oriented. In 2023, exports to the GCC from Italy - a country among the world leaders in several Host Milano sectors - were worth 395.3 million euros (445 million in 2027, +12.5 percent at the end of the period).

The event will be held in Riyadh from 15 to 17 December 2025, in conjunction with Saudi HORECA, the Middle East's annual flagship trade show in the food & beverage and food equipment sectors, now in its 14^th edition: this will enable strategic synergies, creating a comprehensive experience that will offer attendees the opportunity to explore every aspect of the industry in one go, while enhancing dates already on the calendar of both exhibitors and operators.

Host Arabia will thus represent a unique platform in the region, allowing direct contact with a rapidly expanding market, while the partnership with Semark will contribute to the increasingly solid positioning in the Middle East of Fiera Milano, a leading organizer of exhibition and convention events and one of the world's leading integrated operators.

The appointment with Host Arabia is from 15 to 17 December,2025 at the Riyadh Front Exhibitions and Conferences Center in the Saudi capital. Host 2025, on the other hand, will be held at Fiera Milano’s Rho fairgrounds from 17 to 21 October 2025.