Henrik Pontoppidan, Director of S2U Design, talks about the VIFA Show in Ho Chi Minh City and how it is going from strength to strength.
Visiting any trade show abroad is an investment, not only due to travel expenses but also the time away from the office, which requires careful planning.
In this month’s Letter from Vietnam, I aim to share information, tips, and hints to help you get the best results from your next visit to the VIFA EXPO in Saigon. Therefore, I had an insightful meeting with a representative of Lien Minh Company, the organizers, to provide everything you need to know to make your visit enjoyable and highly productive.
The HAWA/VIFA Confusion – A Brief History
HAWA (Handicraft and Wood Industry Association of Ho Chi Minh City) is a large, government-endorsed, non-profit business association representing members of the wood and furniture industry in Ho Chi Minh City. It has been around since well before the first modest VIFA Exhibition in 2008.
VIFA, standing for ‘Vietnam International Furniture & Home Accessories Fair,’ is the trademark of the commercial organizer, Lien Minh Company. Founded in 2007 by some HAWA members as a privately-owned enterprise, its purpose was to organize an international trade show for furniture—the VIFA EXPO—which has now become a ‘must-visit’ event for anyone globally interested in the Vietnam furniture industry.
Due to the COVID pandemic, a new company called HAWA Development Corporation was established by some board members of Lien Minh Company to organize future exhibitions. However, Lien Minh Company persisted and planned the traditional VIFA show in their well-known style, leading to the confusion of two shows in February and March 2024.
VIFA EXPO 2025 – The Biggest Ever
While no HAWA show has been advertised for 2025 yet, VIFA has already used the 2024 VIFA show as a launch pad for the 2025 event, scheduled for March 5-8, 2025. They announced it would be the biggest VIFA show ever. The 2025 show has outgrown the traditional halls of the Saigon Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC) in District 7, even with large purpose-built air-conditioned tents on adjacent land.
To meet the substantial demand for space, an additional venue, Sky Expo Vietnam Center in District 12, about 20 km from SECC, was booked. Though it may seem inconvenient for visitors who wish to visit suppliers in both venues, VIFA has organized regular shuttle buses that travel through Saigon’s city center. The trip takes about an hour and can serve as an intriguing sightseeing tour for first-time visitors.
If you can’t wait until March 2025, consider visiting VIFA ASEAN at SECC from August 27-30, 2024. This new show, organized by the same team, emerged due to increased activity and demand. The VIFA ASEAN Show and the main VIFA EXPO are comparable to The Furniture Show in January at the NEC and the Manchester Furniture Show in August.
Planning Your Visit for the Best Results
When I ran OAKEA, a Hereford-based e-commerce and retail business, for 15 years, I always aimed to plan my trade show visits in advance to maximize the investment. However, with about 50 shows visited, my systematic planning often fell through due to other priorities. The visits, while enjoyable and enlightening, often ended up being too spontaneous. In hindsight, I always wished I had taken the time to plan better. Sound familiar?
If you plan to visit the biggest VIFA show ever, feel free to reach out. Provide the basics of what you want to achieve from your visit, the products you’re looking for, and the supplier attributes important to your company. We can create a plan for you. With our extensive network and cooperation with Lien Minh Company, we can access their vast exhibitor database. Before the show, we can visit your shortlisted suppliers on your behalf and provide feedback on their strengths and capabilities, ensuring they match your requirements.
In short, we can help you prepare for your visit, so you achieve the best results while you focus on your daily business activities.
For any comment, or question relating to the content of this article, or general sourcing activities in Vietnam please don’t hesitate to drop me a line.
www.s2udesign.com / henrik@s2udesign.com / Tel +44 1432 851 824
VIFA EXPO – www.vifaasean.com / www.vifaexpo.com
VIFA ASEAN – www.vifafair.com/home/
