Overseas interest in Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair, which ended at the weekend, continues to grow. This year, one in four trade visitors was from overseas and the number of foreign visitors was up 13 % compared with 2011. The exhibition received a total of 38,814 visitors, which is 392 more than last year.

Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair has established itself as the world's biggest meeting place for Scandinavian design and is one of Stockholmsmässan's most international events. The number of foreign visitors increased by a total of 628, from 4,995 to 5,623. The countries showing the greatest increase were Norway, from 1,477 to 1,757 visitors, Denmark, from 727 to 931, and Russia, up from 35 visitors in 2011 to 131 this year. Finland provides the second highest number of international visitors after Norway, with 1,054.  A total of 61 countries were represented by the international visitors attending this year's event.

"We have received very positive feedback from exhibitors, visitors and the media. A lot of people are reporting having done good business and have praised the very high calibre of the exhibition. This year there were also more foreign visitors than ever before. The figures show that visitors from around the world come here to do business and to discover the latest trends in Scandinavian design," says Cecilia Nyberg, Event Manager for Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair.

As the exhibition and Stockholm Design Week, which runs in parallel, have grown, so too has the need to make the link between these two events clearer. For that reason, the management team developed a new communicative platform for this year's exhibition, which emphasises the fact that the event comprises three elements: a furniture fair, a light fair and a design week.

"This signals the start of a new journey and builds on work that began last year. It is important that we take a holistic approach to the exhibition and Stockholm Design Week," explains Cecilia Nyberg.

Interest among the press and media remains strong. This year 1,172 media representatives were issued with accreditation, including 287 foreign journalists.
 
The next Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair will take place on 5-9 February 2013 at Stockholmsmässan.

For more information, visit www.stockholmfurniturefair.com or contact Lotta Signeul, Press Officer, on telephone +46 (0)8 749 43 79 or e-mail lotta.signeul@stockholmsmassan.se