Published on : Tuesday, June 16, 2020
Feria Hábitat Valencia 2020 is up and running. With their sights set on the upcoming edition, set to run from September 22 to 25 at Feria Valencia, the fair organisers are investing half a million euros in an ambitious campaign to recruit international buyers. The Sustainable Economy Department of the Generalitat Valenciana is to this end partnering with trade fairs Hábitat Valencia and Home Textiles Premium by Textilhogar to boost attendance by international buyers.
The minister for Sustainable Economy, Rafa Climent, has reiterated the ministry’s commitment to supporting international fairs held in the Comunitat Valenciana “even more so right now, given that attendance could be affected by the situation created by the pandemic and we are as a result looking at several options for boosting attendance by companies that purchase. “Feria Hábitat Valencia and Home Textiles Premium by Textilhogar,” the minister declares, “have already started to prepare for their next edition and this ministry is committed to supporting them to ensure these upcoming editions are a success.”
With business activity progressively opening up again after the lockdown and trade fairs definitely playing a major part in industry’s economic revival, the two fairs are deploying all their resources to ensure that they deliver solid business opportunities for both exhibitors and visitors.
500,000-euro budget
One of the first initiatives launched has centered on the international buyer programme headed by the Sustainable Economy Department through Ivace Internacional.
In addition to the partnership with Feria Valencia, the initiative is being rolled out in collaboration with trade associations Anieme, Fedai and Ateval – Home Textiles From Spain, through the sector promotion plans they run that are part-financed by ICEX. The joint budget for the campaign, which also includes some financing from Ivace Internacional, is 500,000 euros.
The campaign will involve identifying and inviting priority buyers from markets where it is anticipated that, by the time the fairs come around, the restrictions on personal movement will have eased sufficiently for them to be able to attend trade fairs. For the benefit of buyer companies in countries where international travel is restricted, the organisers are also working on developing digital solutions that will ensure that they attend fairs. The upcoming Hábitat will therefore feature more options than before for promoting Valencian companies and products.
Digital solutions
The digital content that is currently being developed to ensure that international buyer companies visit the fair includes a facility for visitors to make digital appointments with exhibitors at the two fairs and another for exhibitors to present new collections to interested international buyers.
It is also anticipated that the events, lectures and talks scheduled as part of ‘Ágora nude’ will be streamed so that they can be followed online on social media and specialist platforms. The organisers are also working with several digital consultancies to fine-tune a project that will digitalize the interiors of the stands at the fair and create a digital, virtual catalogue that will show the new collections and products on display at the fair. This showcase will remain live all year, the aim being to support exhibitors’ strategy for building their visibility in the marketplace by means of digital positioning.
Registration opens with more than 1600 buyers signed up already.
The international buyer recruitment campaign is already looking set to deliver great results: a mere three days after pre-registration opened, 1600 trade visitors had already registered to attend this year’s Hábitat from more than 20 countries. The accreditation system has already issued entry passes to buyers from Italy, France, Jordan, the Lebanon, Lithuania, Morocco, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Rumania, Russia, Ukraine and Germany. In this brief time visitors from Algeria, Armenia, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, the Netherlands, Puerto Rico, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates have also confirmed they will be visiting.
It so happens, also, that with international fairs such as the Milan Saloni having been cancelled for this year, Hábitat is the first event of its kind to take place in Europe following the period of lockdown brought about by Covid19.
“We have detected interest from international manufacturers, buyers and other operators in segments of the industry such as the contract sector, who are wanting to get back in touch with their European suppliers,” says the fair’s director, Daniel Marco, adding that “The fact that the Milan fair did not take place during the first half of the year has meant that many contact opportunities and operations have been delayed. In this sense, Valencia is perceived to be the setting where the industry will spring back into life and we are going to invest every ounce of our strength to make it so, implementing all the necessary safety measures and official health protocols of course.” Daniel concluded.
Tags: Daniel Marco, digital solution, Fair Director, Feria Hábitat Valencia 2020, Feria Valencia, international buyer programme, international buyers, launch, Rafa Climent, September 22 to 25, Sustainable Economy Department
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