Daily News
From Home Furnishing Business
Organizers Say Recent Vegas Market Best Attended to Date
February 4,
2014 by in Las Vegas, Market 
Las Vegas Furniture Market reported that the recent winter show was the largest and best-attended in the event's nine-year history.
The show drew 21 percent more buyers and had 850,000 more square feet of resources than last winter's market. The summer Market will run July 27-31.
"Las Vegas Market is growing both resources and attendance at an exponential rate, and this winter marked the largest Market in our history," said Bob Maricich, CEO of International Market Centers. "In the last 12 months, we have aggregated existing resources, added new categories and floors and increased participation of local and regional sales representatives, all of which has sparked momentum."
While the Market experienced overall attendance gains of 21 percent, growth in the gift category was most dramatic, with 90 percent increases over last year. Notable increases in both home décor and furniture, of 21 percent and 17 percent respectively, also contributed to the energy and buzz at the winter edition.
Leasing activity has been robust in the last 12 months, bringing 1,200 new home décor, furniture and gift resources to Las Vegas Market in both permanent showrooms and temporary presentations. In total, 850,000 square feet of resources--500,000 from gift and home décor and 350,000 from furniture--has been added since winter 2013. Additionally, the number of temporary exhibitors has increased by 10 percent in one year, with a record 340 gift and home décor exhibitors showcased on three floors in Building C and 80 furniture exhibitors featured on B2 at the winter 2014 Market.