CONNECT Show returns to Vancouver Convention Centre November 3-4, 2014

VANCOUVER, Feb. 26, 2014 /CNW/ - CONNECT - BC's Food, Drink and Lodging Expo, the premiere event for British Columbia's vibrant hospitality industry, returns to the Vancouver Convention Centre West, November 3 & 4, 2014.  Hospitality industry association partners, the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association (CRFA), the British Columbia Hotel Association (BCHA), and the Alliance of Beverage Licensees of British Columbia (ABLE BC) are pleased to follow the successful 2013 CONNECT with this 2^nd annual event in 2014.

CONNECT is a one-stop shop offering hospitality industry professionals the opportunity to see the newest products and services and to stay ahead of trends. It is the largest hospitality trade show in Western Canada and will bring together thousands of restaurant, bar, nightclub, hotel and motel operators from across BC.  In addition to the hundreds of exhibitors, CONNECT will host educational seminars and networking events for delegates.

The inaugural 2013 CONNECT Show featured over 350 exhibit booths and 4,000 attendees. The highlights of the event included the annual Trends Breakfast and the BC Chef of the Year competition. The show was presented by sponsors Sysco, GFS Canada and Western Financial Group.

"Not only is the hospitality industry at the heart of every community, it's a major economic engine," says director Mark von Schellwitz of the CRFA. "We are pleased to celebrate and to support industry growth through the CONNECT show." The hospitality industry generates approximately $14 billion annually for the provincial economy and is one of the largest employers with more than 200,000 direct jobs.

"We are pleased to announce that show management will be handled by Samantha Scholefield and Nora Cumming (Chemistry Consulting Group)," says show director James Chase of the BCHA. "These two event professionals bring a combined 35 years of event experience to CONNECT. They both have significant backgrounds in management of hospitality industry events including the BC Foodservice Expo, the Vancouver International Wine Festival, the BC Hospitality Conference & Expo and Host -BC's Tourism & Hospitality Conference that will serve them well in presenting the 2nd annual CONNECT show."

If you are interested in exhibiting at the show, please email [e-mail]. Complete exhibitor packages will be available the week of March 7th. For information about our chef competitions and educational and industry programming, email [e-mail].  More information is also available on the CONNECT website www.connectshow.com.

About the host associations:

Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association
Since its founding in 1944, the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association has grown to more than 30,000 members across the country. Through advocacy, research, member savings and industry events, we help our members in every Canadian community grow and prosper. CRFA members represent every sector of Canada's vibrant and innovative restaurant industry, including restaurants, bars, cafeterias, coffee shops, and contract and social caterers.

British Columbia Hotel Association
The British Columbia Hotel Association is the advocate and spokesperson for the interests of the Hotel Industry throughout British Columbia. The BCHA has approximately 600 hotel members and 200 associate members, representing an industry with revenues in excess of $3.2 billion, 78,000 rooms and more than 58,000 employees. We are a significant component of BC's $14 billion tourism trade and have members in almost every community throughout BC.

Alliance of Beverage Licensees
The Alliance of Beverage Licensees is the industry advocate for issues affecting Liquor Primary and Licensee Retail Stores throughout British Columbia. ABLE strives to provide its members with the resources and tools required to operate and grow a successful business. ABLE works with its members to proudly promote a responsible beverage industry for BC.

SOURCE: Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association

For further information:

Mark von Schellwitz
Vice President, Western Canada
Canadian Restaurant &
Foodservices Association
[e-mail]
Tel: 604‐809‐5719

Colleen Lamothe
Manager, Communications & Government Relations
British Columbia Hotel Association
[e-mail]
Tel: 604‐443‐4751