Portugal expects furniture exports to UAE to grow multifold in coming years

Aimed to strengthen its foothold in the region, Associative Design – The Best of Portugal by the Portuguese Association of Wood and Furniture Industries (AIMMP) promoted top Portuguese brands and products in Dubai. 

Leading wood and furniture companies from Portugal showcased their premium products at the Hotel Show Dubai 2022, aimed to capitalize on market opportunities with the resurgence of tourism sector in the UAE and forge new partnerships and inroads into the regional market. 

The Portuguese Association of Wood and Furniture Industries (AIMMP) brought to the Hotel Show 12 leading manufacturers and brands under the theme ‘Associative Design – The Best of Portugal’ and presents the concept of Portuguese House showcasing luxury brands, with products that are 100 per cent produced and designed in Portugal.

The Hotel Show Dubai 2022, took place from May 24 to May 26, 2022, at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC). Associate Design’s group of Portuguese brands will be on display at Stand 7E281. 

Mr. Vítor Poças, President of the AIMMP, said, “With our participation at Hotel Show, we are confident that we will further expand the ‘The Best of Portugal’ reach with a range of luxury furniture products to the UAE and regional markets. Highlighting our diverse and innovative product range, some of the companies unveiled their products at this platform seeking new business partnerships in the Middle East market.” 

“The luxury furniture market in the UAE generated USD 3.72bn in 2022 and is projected to grow 4.09 per cent annually over the next four years. With the growing tourism in the region following Expo 2020 in Dubai due to the efforts of the government, we project a continued increase in the demand for luxury furniture,” he added. 

“The UAE economy is seeing a rise in disposable income per capita. Along with rising tourism, the UAE market has ideal conditions for luxury brands. The UAE citizens spend 30 per cent of their monthly salaries on luxury goods and a greater number of citizens are trading up from mid-market brands. On top of this, foreign products account for 58 per cent of all the UAE purchases giving established international brands a large competitive edge in the market,” Mr. Poças further said. 

According to him, the market comprises both manufacturers and distributors. “However, distributors that import products from other countries have been dominant in the market. In terms of market share, the companies in the region compete heavily among each other through innovation and creativity to meet the dynamic behaviour of the consumers in the region,” he said. 

AIMMP has consistently been present at exhibitions in the region since 2016 and has been a part of events such as the Dubai Design Week, Downtown Design Dubai, Idf Oman and Index Saudi in the past. This is the second year of participation at The Hotel Show Dubai for AIMMP.

The products on display featured a mix of innovation, sustainability, and contemporary design, applied to furniture, lighting, porcelain, textiles and a few author design pieces as well. Some of these pieces are especially focused on the hospitality market and others on hotels and private houses, dedicated to Interior designers, decorators, architects, etc.