SPAIN - Hábitat is re-arranging its schedule. The 56th edition of the leading event for the ‘made in Spain’ interiors industry will not be taking place this coming September as planned but will instead be staged as a new event in November: the commercial platform “Ágora Encuentros Hábitat VLC”, with a reduced and concentrated participation format.

Whilst more limited in size than the usual fair, it will fill the gap this year until Feria Hábitat Valencia returns in September 2021 as a fully-fledged fair.

The decision was taken in response to repeated requests from both exhibitors and the furniture and lighting sectors in general, which had told the Hábitat team over the last few weeks that it would be impossible to stage the fair in the same way as it has been staged in recent years.

Companies have expressed concern over the complex situation the industry is currently facing following months of lockdown and closed factories and shops, as well as how little time would have been available to prepare for a fair the size of Hábitat. Added to that is the uncertainty still prevalent in the international marketplace that could impact attendance by buyers from key markets such as Russia and Asia.

This is why, as the fair’s director Daniel Marco explains, “the trade has opted for the return of a stronger Hábitat in 2021 that will offer both exhibitors and visitors greater assurances of doing business. This is in line with what has happened with the industry’s other big trade fairs in Europe, which have postponed until next year”.

“Ágora Encuentros Hábitat VLC”, will be taking place this coming November and will offer companies and brands wanting to present their latest products ahead of the 2021 season a simple, dynamic, user-friendly format for taking part. “As an event, it will be designed to facilitate B2B meetings between exhibitors and buyers and, in consonance with the new reality of the trade fair, events and congress industry, will be highly digitalized,” Marco explains.