Foreign visitors boosted the Salone del Mobile by 278 million euros
Gripping the Heart of Milan: Salone del Mobile 2025 Unveiled
The city is pulsating, buzzing with life as furniture showrooms gear up for Milan's grandest spectacle, sprucing up from State Street to Zona Tortona, with traffic jams a constant interruption owing to an endless parade of deliveries. Salone del Mobile 2025 awaits its debut, not just as a defining event for Milan, inspiring fashion weeks alike, but as an undeniable testament to its economic significance. According to projections by the Milan, Monza, and Brianza, and Lodi Chamber of Commerce Studies Center in collaboration with the Bank of Italy, EuroFair Statistics, Aefi, and other sources, the economic impact of this year's event is estimated to reach a staggering 278 million euros, marking a mere 1.1% increase from the previous year. Anticipated visitor numbers are also on the rise (+1.1%) to an impressive 320,870, with 64.1% projected to be locals and 35.9% from abroad.
A Tale of Two Tracks: The Italian Conundrum
The event promises a double-edged sword, as foreign visitors with their planned spending of approximately 202.1 million euros (73%) are expected to increase by 5.8%, while their Italian counterparts will reduce their contributions to a mere 75.9 million euros (-9%). Accommodation (41.4%), dining (30.4%), and shopping (23.6%) will remain the top expenses.
"Despite the mounting international tensions, the event's economic impact is still planned to slightly grow, mainly due to the robust spending power of foreign visitors," explains Marco Barbieri, the secretary-general of the Milan, Lodi, Monza, and Brianza Chamber of Commerce. "Unfortunately, the Italian tourist spending, however, is on the decline, a casualty of our economy's uncertainty."
The Elephant in the Room: The Falling Italian Spending
Italian visitors, it seems, have grown increasingly disgruntled with the Salone del Mobile experience, attributing their expenditure drop to several factors such as high prices for food, parking, and other services, as well as a perceived decline in the event's organization, layout, and quality of products on display.
In contrast, details regarding foreign visitor spending patterns are not as clearly defined. However, there is a general prediction of flat demand across Europe's furniture industry in 2025, a trend influenced by economic uncertainties, inflationary pressures, and rising prices, which may affect the spending behaviors of all attendees, albeit disproportionately impacting the locals.
To sum it up:
| Factor | Impact on Italian Spending | Information on Foreign Spending ||-------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|| Rising prices (parking, food) | Negative; discourages spending | Not fully explored || Event organization & layout | Negative; leads to dissatisfaction and decline | Not fully explored || Product quality perception | Negative; perceived decline reduces interest | Not a specific focus || Economic conditions (inflation, economic volatility) | Contributes to overall cautious spending | Overall flat demand forecasted in Europe |
The Italian spending slump predominantly seems to be the result of price increases and disappointment with the event, while a comprehensive analysis of foreign visitor spending trends remains elusive.
The event's organization, layout, and quality of products on display have contribute to the dissatisfaction and decline in the spending of Italian visitors during Salone del Mobile. Meanwhile, the spending patterns of foreign visitors, especially those from Europe, remain unclear due to the uncertain economic conditions, inflationary pressures, and rising prices that may influence their behavior.
