A booth at the VIFA EXPO 2023. VIFA EXPO 2024 will be held from February 26 to 29 at the Sky Expo Vietnam International Exhibition and Convention Center in HCM City’s District 12. — Photo courtesy of the organisers

HCM CITY — VIFA EXPO and VIFA ASEAN to be held in HCM City next year will provide opportunities for furniture and home accessories businesses to showcase their products and seek orders amid tough times.

The 15th Vietnam International Furniture & Home Accessories Fair (VIFA EXPO 2024) will be held from February 26 to 29 next year at the Sky Expo Vietnam International Exhibition and Convention Center in HCM City’s District 12, marking the start of a series of furniture exhibitions in Asia in the year, Đặng Quốc Hùng, general director of Liên Minh Company, one of its organisers, said.

It is expected to attract more than 600 local and international furniture and handicraft exhibitors with over 2,000 booths.

It will also feature industry seminars, factory visits and other events, Hùng said.

Talking about VIFA ASEAN 2024, or the second Vietnam ASEAN International Furniture & Home Accessories Fair, he said it would be held from August 27 to 30 at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center, and be double the size of the previous edition with 1,200 booths and 400 local and international exhibitors.

VIFA EXPO 2023 held last March was an outstanding success compared to previous editions, he said. It had attracted 612 exhibitors from 17 countries and territories and 19 provinces and cities in Việt Nam and received more than 18,000 visitors, including nearly 6,000 from 117 foreign countries.

VIFA ASEAN 2023, co-organised by Liên Minh Company, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s HCM City branch and the Vietnam Coconut Association, had received 9,438 visitors, including nearly 3,800 from 64 countries and territories, he said.

Based on the success of VIFA ASEAN 2023, the industry and trade departments of Bình Phước, Tây Ninh and Long An provinces and HCM City have signed agreements with the organisers to support local firms in trade promotion at both expos next year, he said.

Trần Quốc Mạnh, deputy chairman of the Việt Nam Handicraft Exporters Association, said Việt Nam’s wood and wood product exports were worth US$10.9 billion in the first ten months of the year, a year-on-year decrease of nearly 20 per cent.

The decline has been slowing down, especially since the beginning of the fourth quarter, but buyers have more requirements in terms of quality, pricing and sustainability, he said.

With the global situation remaining uncertain, firms need to proactively seek export markets, increase their competitiveness, production capacity and productivity and make products that are environment-friendly, he said.

Fairs and exhibition are among effective promotion channels that help wood industry enterprises meet prospective partners from all over the world and remain abreast of market trends, he added. — VNS