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Press Release

The Chamber of Furniture Industry of the Philippine (CFIP) has decided not to participate in the economic slump!

Amidst predictions of worldwide doom and gloom, the Philippine furniture industry stands out as a beacon of optimism, showing signs of enormous growth and profit. Manila Now 2010 – The Philippine International Furniture Show (PIFS), organized by the CFIP, is at the forefront of bullish efforts to ensure the continuous expansion and success of the industry.

The 2009 show brought together 162 different companies from the Philippines and abroad that occupied 14,300 square meters of prime exhibit space. Visitors exceeded 6,000 people, almost 36 percent more than in 2008.

Manila Now 2010 – Philippine International Furniture Show, to be held from March 5-8, 2010 at the SMX Convention Center, will be bigger than ever. Unchanged in its status as the premier buying destination for furniture in Asia, the show is slated to deliver its best results yet in terms of the number of visitors, publicity and promotion, and both onsite and negotiated sales.

The CFIP is well aware that fortunes are made and companies flourish in bull as well as bear economies. The key is in keeping a vigilant eye for good deals and business opportunities and Manila Now 2010 - PIFS is a show that truly means business. The only furniture show of its calibre in the country, Manila Now 2010 offers limitless possibilities.

10,000 Visitors in Four Days

The Manila Now-PIFS shows have enjoyed an upward trend of visitor attendance since its first run thirteen years ago. Likewise, through an aggressive international and local promotional campaign, the 2010 show expects a record 10,000 strong local and foreign quality visitors to grace the four-day event.

Data shows that the traffic and activity of foreign buyers in previous years operates on a natural cycle of highs and lows which runs for three to four years. 2010 auspiciously falls on a peak trading year and, therefore, the most crucial time for exhibitors to participate in the show. Contrary to concerns of waning attendance of foreign buyers, the timely and inevitable need for new top-of-the line pieces will in fact lead them back to Manila Now in 2010.

Another encouraging factor of note is the enormous increase of sales from the local market, a trend that has been apparent the last couple of shows and is expected to continue well beyond Manila Now 2010. A total of 5,336 local buyers attended Manila Now 2009, a 61 percent increase from 2008, while combined on-site and negotiated local sales increased by an impressive 99 percent, generating a total of Php 10,805,690.

A bulk of those local sales came, unsurprisingly, from Manila based-buyers, industry professionals and private consumers alike. Industry professionals include architects, interior designers, buying agents, and such.
Private consumers, who made up over half of the local attendees, were charged an entrance fee of Php 250.

Manila, the center of commerce and the seat of wealth in the country, and the SMX Convention Center in the heart of the metro, is hence the best possible platform to showcase the industry’s best and latest merchandise to this booming segment of the market.

Among the other invited guests and VIPS are the country’s biggest names in commercial and residential property developers, certainly a very lucrative market to tap.

Leveraging the Target Market via Collaborations and Coinciding Events

Manila Now 2010 helps its exhibitors get more on top of what they’ve already got. Coinciding with Manila Now 2010 is The Hotel Show, the international hotel, service apartments and resorts interior, exterior and design, operating facilities and supplies and special amenities products, equipment, technology and services exhibition. The new and eagerly anticipated Hotel Show, targeting a closely related, if not similar market to Manila Now, is expected to draw in an estimated of 2,500 of visitors on their own.

The Philippine Institute of Interior Designers (PIID) is also in talks with Manila Now organizers on potentially holding their annual general meeting to coincide with Manila Now 2010. This event would also bring in a projected 2,500 visitors made up of a very substantial segment of the market.

The show organizers are currently in negotiations with Cebu X, Cebu’s international furniture show, for joint international and nationwide promotional activities. In tough times, forging advantageous partnerships is so often necessary. A collaboration of Manila Now and Cebu X will allow both to cover more ground when marketing and advertising their corresponding shows.

The broadening of the market and potential tie-ups with two aligned shows will guarantee better revenues and the maximum return of investment for exhibitors.

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