45th Canadian Furniture Show Will Focus on Enhancing Visitor Experience

Furniture World News Desk on 11/9/2016

Canada’s only furniture trade show will be held in Toronto from Friday through Sunday, May 26-28, 2017. While the 2016 edition of the Canadian Furniture Show enjoyed a resounding success with more than 230 exhibitors and 7,000 participants, the 45th edition will feature a more streamlined format and an enhanced visitor experience.

“For the past three years, after every show, we have conducted surveys to gauge the industry’s opinion,” said Pierre Richard, the President and CEO of the Show. “Based on the responses we have received, we will be putting an even greater focus on the Show’s overall experience for visitors, so we can attract even more people in 2017! Our surveys showed that our visitors have four priorities: top-notch exhibitors, pertinent speakers, networking activities and exclusive Show Specials. As a result, we plan to enhance the visitor experience through a series of three noon-hour speaker presentations, and we will be providing rest and entertainment areas on the Show floor. And on Friday evening, we are planning an industry cocktail reception, which will make it easier for networking. We are continuing our efforts to seek out new exhibitors, and we are also going to provide exhibitors with tools to feature their Show specials. Visitors will also be able to benefit from a discount on hotel rooms and drawings for free accommodation packages. We want the Show to be well worth the trip for visitors, and we are sparing no efforts to achieve this.”

Since 2015, the Canadian Furniture Show has been enhanced by new features every year based on the results of telephone or online surveys that were conducted among more than 1,000 exhibitors, buyers, designers and other professionals, along with non-participants. The survey results, combined with the recommendations of the National Advisory Committee, which includes 15 professionals from diverse regions of the country and various sectors of the industry, provided the guidelines for the Show’s yearly renewal.

The commitment to try and optimize the efficiency of the event, an endeavour that began in 2016 with the Show being held over three rather than four days, will continue in 2017 by concentrating activities into Halls 1 to 4 and the Conference Centre, the Toronto Area Showrooms and SOFA showrooms. “We need to continually rethink the way we do things,” said Mr. Richard. “In recent years, the floor space wasn’t being fully utilized and there were some empty spaces. The 2017 plan includes enough square feet of space to stage a bigger Show than the 2016 edition. And this plan will be more efficient for the visitors, who will have less space to cover, and for the exhibitors who will benefit from a more concentrated crowd flow.”

Starting today, exhibitors can reserve their space for the 2017 Show by contacting Sales Manager Simon Harris, at sharris@canadianfurnitureshow.com or by calling 514 866-3631, extension 208, or by reserving directly online on the website.

The Canadian Furniture Show has been held since 1972 and is produced by the Quebec Furniture Manufacturers’ Association. One of the top 5 largest trade shows in Canada, it brings together industry professionals, manufacturers, importers, retailers, designers and others, from Canada, the United States and worldwide, to discover the latest collections and conduct business. The 2017 Canadian Furniture Show will be held from May 26 to 28, at The International Centre, in Mississauga, Ontario. For full details about the 2017 Show, please go to canadianfurnitureshow.com.