Iranians to flock into furniture fair in Istanbul: Association

ISTANBUL

A record high number of Iranians are expected to attend a leading furniture fair organized in Istanbul on Jan. 26-31, according to the head of Turkey’s Furniture Industry Businessmen Association (MOBSAD), Adnan Bostan. 

“Over 30,000 foreign people are expected to visit our fair, the İMOB Fair, from 100 different countries this year. We have seen a dramatic interest from the Iranian market. Around seven of every 100 visitors will be from Iran. This will make Iran the third largest source of visitors to the fair,” he told Hürriyet Daily News in an e-mailed statement. 

The rise in the number of Iranian guests will constitute an increase of around 100 percent compared to the previous year’s figures, he said. 

In addition to Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq and Azerbaijan have showed the biggest interest in the fair, which is expecting around 150,000 visitors this year, he added.  

Bostan noted there may be a further decrease in the number of Russian participants this year, as the association already saw a sharp fall last year due to economic problems in the Russian market. 

The Iranian market is of great importance for the Turkish furniture market and Iranian mall owners were currently in talks to lure Turkish brands into the country, he said, adding that around 200 Turkish companies from all segments of the furniture sector have relations with Iran, while some 20 of them carry out production activities in the country. 

Bostan noted Iraq has been the largest export market for the sector for the last decade, with a volume of around $500 million. 

The sector made around $3 billion worth of exports in 2015 and aimed to reach above this figure in 2016, he added.