Dubai: Italy is hoping to increase the share of its interior design products in the Arab Gulf markets with Dubai its base. Speaking to Gulf News on the eve of the opening of Dubai Design Week on Tuesday, Gianpaolo Bruno, Trade Commissioner to the UAE, Oman and Pakistan, said the exhibition is of a great importance to Italy to reach to the countries of the region from Dubai.
“It is very very important for us, because it is a major platform for design products in Dubai and the Middle East [and], we are heavily investing in these initiatives,” he said. “Actually, I think this is the fourth year in down town designs …. We participated in the exhibition since the beginning when it was held in Abu Dhabi many years ago” and later moved to Dubai.
“For us, it is really one of the major platforms to showcase the best Italians productions here in UAE and the rest of the Gulf region,” Bruno said.
Forty-four Italian companies are participating in the 4-day event. Seventeen of them are exhibiting under the umbrella of the Italian Trade Agency.
- Gianpaolo Bruno | Italian trade commissioner to the UAE, Oman and Pakistan
According to official figures, Italian furniture products that were exported to the UAE in 2016 amounted to 270 million euros (Dh1.155 billion).
Bruno said the numbers are growing at “a fast pace year by year”.
Between 2006 and 2016, Italian furniture exports to the UAE have increased by nearly 50 per cent.
“The Italian products have 13 per cent market share, the bulk of the market is Chinese products, but when it comes to top quality, we are at the top in high quality furniture in the country,” he said.
While 2017 figures are not completed, yet, Bruno said the available numbers so far show that current year will be similar to the previous one.
In addition, “we hope in the last few months (of 2017) to even increase the numbers.”
The interior design week this year, Bruno said, “is even more interesting than previous editions, because down town design have heavily invested in marketing, so many more visitors are coming from all over. It has become the major platform for high quality design products in the country and in the region.”
This year’s exhibition also offers seminars and many information tools to visitors.
“It is very well organised, and we are very satisfied at the job done by Down Town Design this year. ”
Apart from the interior designs products, Italian companies are also participating in the oil and gas exhibition in Abu-Dhabi and the upcoming jewellery exhibition in Dubai.
