International Hospitality Furniture Expo to tap Middle East market

The first International Hospitality Furniture Expo (IHFEX) which aims to tap the vibrant Middle Eastern market will debut at the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre from 3 to 5 September 2017.
It is the Middle East’s only fully dedicated furniture contract manufacturing exhibition targeting the fit-out of hotels, service apartments, commercial projects, cruise liners and other hospitality projects.


IHFEX is organized by Singapore based MP Congress & Exhibitions Pte Ltd and International Furniture Fair Singapore Pte Ltd (IFFS). It is endorsed by the Bahrain Ministry of Industry and Commerce and supported by the Bahrain Exhibition and Convention Authority and the Singapore Furniture Industries Council.
According to Tony Chan, Project Director of IHFEX 2017, ‘The hospitality sector investments in the Middle East are in abundance as governments diversify their economies and join private investors to develop major tourism-related projects. As such, IHFEX in 2017 is timely as it provides the platform for companies to start making inroads into this potentially lucrative market place.’
Interest in IHFEX is high, with more than 80 per cent of space reserved by manufacturers from Singapore and around the region before its launch late last year. The Singapore pavilion features leading names in the interior fit out industry such as Design Studio Furniture Manufacturer Ltd. and Cheng Meng Pte Ltd., which have both worked on high profile projects in the Middle East.
With an expected size of 3,000 square meters, the exhibition will also feature country pavilions from Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia. Response has also been encouraging from the Middle East with the participation of key industry players from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and UAE. Amongst leading names, Middle East Mattress Factory, a subsidiary of Sealy, the largest manufacturer of mattress in the world will also make a debut at IHFEX 2017.
‘To make the exhibitors participation a rewarding one, we will be conducting a hosted buyers program where top tier buyers from the region will be invited to attend the exhibition. More than 60 buyers from the region comprising leading architects, interior designers, real estate developers and other key influencers will be selected for this initiative,’ Tony further commented. There will also be other exhibition highlights such as talks and site visits during IHFEX.
Exhibitors at IHFEX will showcase furniture, seating, bed and beddings, tables and table tops, bath, bathroom and spa, flooring, wall coverings, windows and window treatments, fabrics, lightings, art pieces and accessories, water features, signage, electronics and appliances, and software systems. The exhibition will be promoted to architects, commercial building and offices owners, buyers and specifiers, cruise liner owners and operators, hospitality companies, hotel owners, hotel management companies, interior decorators and designers, property developers, residential projects operators and serviced apartment owners and operators.