January's Las Vegas Market was largest ever

Attendance up 21% from last winter

Larry Thomas -- Furniture Today, February 4, 2014

LAS VEGAS — Organizers of last month's Las Vegas Market said the event was the largest in the show's nine-year history, setting records for both attendance and exhibit space. Market officials didn't release specific numbers, but said attendance was 21% ahead of the January 2013 market, with the biggest gains coming in the gift category. Additionally, the most recent market had 850,000 square feet more exhibit space than a year ago. "In the last 12 months, we have aggregated existing resources, added new categories and floors, and increased participation of local and regional sales representatives, all of which has sparked momentum," said Bob Maricich, CEO of International Market Centers. Maricich said the gift category saw a 90% increase in attendance from the January 2013 market, while home décor attendance was up 21% and furniture attendance increased 17%. He also said 500,000 square feet of the new exhibit space was devoted to gifts and home décor, and the remaining 350,000 were added in furniture. Plus, the number of temporary exhibitors rose by about 10%, with a record 340 gift and home décor exhibitors on three floors of Building C and 80 furniture exhibitors on the second floor of Building B. Last month's market marked the debut of a Sunday-through-Thursday format, which Maricich said proved popular with buyers and exhibitors. The summer market, which takes place July 27-31, will continue that format.