06 April 2023
It couldn't have started better than this! After a complicated period marked by travel difficulties, date changes, and global uncertainties, but during which CIFF never stopped investing in the development of the fair as a reference point for the domestic and international furniture industry, the 51st edition of CIFF Guangzhou has just closed its doors with an extraordinary turnout, to the great satisfaction of exhibitors and visitors, as well as the organisers themselves.
The numbers speak for themselves: + 27.88% of visitors compared to CIFF Guangzhou 2019, the last edition held before the pandemic, and record high attendance.
Wrapping up on 31st March after a total of eight days (four for the first phase and four for the second), 51st CIFF Guangzhou 2023 occupied 700,000 square metres of exhibition space divided among 4,000 exhibitors and was attended by 380,763 trade and qualified visitors from 166 regions and countries across the world.
This success is the result of a forward-looking vision and a new organisational strategy that sees CIFF as the only furniture fair in the world capable of covering the entire sector supply chain, effectively integrating the traditional exhibition event with online activities, focusing decisively on design to improve the quality of all the spaces in which we live and work, contributing to the development and transformation of the entire furniture industry: a trade fair offering solutions in line with evolving consumer trends and addressing a wide target of highly professional visitors such as interior designers, buyers, distributors, e-commerce operators, and real estate developers.
Aisles more crowded than ever, queues at stand entrances, and reliably packed conferences characterised this latest edition of CIFF Guangzhou, which undoubtedly thrilled visitors with the innovative ideas and product design proposed by the sector’s leading brands in response to the changing demands of ever-evolving markets. The high level of content at the 10 thematic exhibitions and 125 conferences organised by CIFF in collaboration with famous designers, market experts, design brands, media, trade associations, and universities, were valuable sources of inspiration, knowledge, and exchange, testifying to the qualitative growth of Chinese products, which are increasingly appreciated at all levels.
The 51st CIFF Guangzhou 2023 was held in two phases, effectively divided into three exhibitions: Home Furniture, Office and Commercial Space, and CIFM/interzum guangzhou.
During the first phase, from 18th to 21st March 2023, the spotlight was on the world of the home: from interior furniture and decor to outdoor living.
Home Furniture provided original solutions for the customisation of domestic spaces, increasingly understood as multifunctional and fluid environments, characterised by accessible design and quality as well as approaches to sustainability involving the use of natural materials for new furnishing solutions integrated with artificial intelligence and dedicated to improving people's quality of life.
Homedecor & Hometextile presented the latest trends in interior design: furnishing accessories, lighting, decorative paintings, and artificial flowers to enhance any environment. Outdoor & Leisure offered interpretations of open-air lifestyles featuring increasingly sophisticated solutions to extend the quality and comfort of indoor environments beyond the home.
The second phase, from 28th to 31st March 2023, featured the world of work and commercial spaces with a new focus on the sphere of education and healthcare facilities, as well as technologies essential to the furniture industry.
During Office and Commercial Space, which also expanded to occupy six pavilions in the new Area D, the sector’s leading companies showed countless flexible and innovative solutions for workplaces capable of meeting the needs of ever-evolving companies, with the aims of improving performance and productivity and increasing people's well-being and safety. Much room was also dedicated to public commercial spaces, healthcare, and facilities for older people, as well as schools.
The range of technology and semi-finished products for the furniture industry at CIFM/interzum guangzhou 2023 was comprehensive. The major Chinese and international brands for machinery, materials, surfaces, and hardware offered a convincing response to the needs of an industry that is constantly growing and attentive to the most innovative solutions for producing quality by optimising production.
The edition that just concluded was undoubtedly an exceptional moment for the trade fair which has proven to be not only the most important business platform in Asia, but also the designated forum for effectively combining the culture of good design and good living with the concrete needs of global commerce, infused with a heavy dose of enthusiasm for the long-awaited relaunch of the entire furniture industry.
And attention is already turned to the next edition of CIFF Guangzhou 2024, which will be staged from 18th to 21st March (first phase) and from 28th to 31st March 2024 (second phase) at the Canton Fair Complex and PWTC in Guangzhou Pazhou.
Photo: CIFF