Asian shows tout safety
Promoters work to keep buyers coming
By Brian Carroll -- Furniture Today, December 2, 2001
CEBU, Philippines — It is not business as usual in Asia, a region preparing for its series of furniture shows during late February and March. In the face of difficult global market conditions, show organizers are scrambling to assuage any fears on the part of potential attendees from the West.
For the 10th Cebu International Furniture and Furnishings Exhibition, for example, organizers are stressing their country's long history of working with the West and, in particular, America.
"The Philippines is not hostile to U.S. citizens and we take exception to reports that put us together with Indonesia in this regard," said Gus Palao, chairman of the Cebu promotions committee and a leading furniture producer here. "The Philippines is the only Christian nation in Southeast Asia."
Palao pointed out that Cebu has an uninterrupted record of peace, law, order and a booming tourism industry.
"We are working to correct the (false) impression in this regard," Palao said. "We have written foreign embassies. We have asked our local media to help in this campaign."
Cebu is scheduled for Feb. 26–March 1.
No extra security
In the north in Manila, the stress also is on the contrasts with Indonesia and Malaysia, not on similarities. Manny Padiernos, chairman of advertising and promotions for the Philippine International Furniture Show Manila, said unlike its Southeast Asian neighbors, the Philippines has a very small Muslim population, less than 10%.
"In fact, the whole of Asia is very supportive of the U.S. war against terrorism," Padiernos said.
He also stressed the much-publicized difficulties involving extremists in the Philippines holding Americans hostage was in the southernmost tip of the Philippine island chain, on Basilan.
Characterizations that lump the rest of the hundreds of islands with the terrorism on Basilan are "unfair and inaccurate," he said. Organizers in Manila do not have any special security measures planned because no security problem exists, he said.
Roberto Locsin, chairman of PIFS 2002, said he expects to get "the support of our U.S. buyers because we still have confidence in the U.S. economy. Its fundamentals are sound and viable."
Manila's show will run from Feb. 28 to March 3.
Travel affected
Since Sept. 11, travel from the United States into Southeast Asian countries has fallen off, acknowledged organizers of the International Furniture Fair Singapore. For Singapore, a highly westernized island due to its longtime British colony status, the problem is worsened by its proximity to Indonesia and Malaysia.
Even with the concerns, however, IFFS organizers report no cancellations from exhibitors because of safety or security worries. Already nearly 92% of show space is committed to 607 exhibitors.
"We are aware that some overseas visitors, especially those from the United States and Europe, may be wary of traveling to this part of the world at a time like this," said Bert Choong, president of the Singapore Furniture Industries Council, organizer of IFFS. "However, we would like to assure them that Singapore is still a safe place to visit, as the authorities here take security very seriously and have put in place a system of vigilant security measures to ensure safety is not compromised."
Singapore long has had a reputation for being one of the safest nations in the world, with among one of the lowest crime rates.
"The show always has enjoyed a reputation among industry leaders as Asia's most prestigious furniture show, and we are confident of delivering value even in these times of economic slowdown and tight budgets," Choong said.
SFIC has allied with KölnMesse to bring two of the German show organizer's most successful shows from Germany — the International Trade Fair for Furnishing and Management of Offices and Office Equipment, and the International Trade Fair for Kitchen Furniture and Kitchen Appliances. They will be held in conjunction with IFFS, March 1-5, at the Singapore Expo.
Malaysia normal
According to organizers of the Malaysian International Furniture Fair, the business climate in the capital city has returned to normal following a slowdown after Sept. 11. Flight schedules have returned to normal as well.
Show organizers in Kuala Lumpur have beefed up publicity programs to "allay the concerns of buyers," according to Tan Chin Huat, managing director. He cited the successes of two international shows held recently in Kuala Lumpur — one for aerospace and one for dentistry — as evidence that the region is ready for business.
"Both events, among several other, smaller-scaled international and regional events, emerged unscathed, with participation and visitorship from all parts of the world," Tan said.
Malaysia's Muslim-led government has been praised on several occasions by the Bush administration for its support in the campaign against terrorism, Tan noted.
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Mar 12, 2012 -
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