1. Could you briefly introduce your trade fair in a few words?
DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR is the leading international trade show for carpets and floor coverings in the Asia-Pacific region. Held annually in Shanghai for the past 27 years, it has evolved into a world-renowned platform connecting manufacturers, distributors, designers, and buyers from around the globe. The show highlights the latest innovations across all flooring segments, from carpets to hardwood, resilient surfaces, and advanced flooring technologies.
In its last edition held in May 2025, DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR hosted approximately 1,500 companies and brands from 40+ countries, occupying 210,000 square meters across 7 halls. Despite ongoing global trade complexities and economic challenges, the event attracted 83,056 visitors from 124 countries, the highest number of represented nations in the show’s history. International attendance continued its post-covid growth trend, reaching 18,121 overseas visitors, further underscoring the event’s expanding global reach and China’s and Asia’s central role as a hub for flooring innovation, sourcing, and business development.
2. What are the key priorities and considerations when preparing for the fair?
Our top priorities include curating a comprehensive and innovative exhibitor lineup and delivering a high-quality experience for visitors. Our aim is to ensure that DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR acts as a marketplace, where supply meets the demand efficiently, as well as a trendsetter, where the latest innovations in the industry can be experienced firsthand.
Chinese and Asian manufacturers have long been recognized for their innovation and responsiveness to evolving consumer preferences. The perception of “Made in China” is shifting, with many producers now delivering cutting-edge, lifestyle-driven products that meet international environmental and quality standards. One of our key goals is to spotlight these capabilities, offering visitors the opportunity to engage directly with these forward-thinking manufacturers.
Notably, the post-covid editions have taken place amid many economic and geopolitical uncertainties. In such situation, our focus has been to keep close relation with our clients, listen to their concerns, challenges and suggestions and adapt our actions and activities to ensure we meet their needs.
International engagement is a key focus of our work, as DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR’s strong international character is one of its greatest strengths. We have significantly increased our international partnerships, communication and in-person presence at industry events worldwide. These activities allow us to remain close to the international industry key players, gain deeper insights into regional markets’ dynamics, and better understand both the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
We are also committed to ensuring an easy and enjoyable experience for our attendees during their visit in Shanghai. First of all, entering China has never been easier, considering that over 50 countries can now do so visa-free. In addition, we implement a series of services; from preferred hotel rates to guidance on navigating the city as well as various onsite services tailored for our international audience. One of our standout initiatives newly launched in 2025 was the “Buyer Club”, an exclusive platform designed to enhance networking and engagement for select buyers. Members of the program enjoy premium benefits such as complimentary hotel accommodation, tailored tours, personalized business matchmaking, and access to exclusive networking and entertainment opportunities. In May, thanks to this program, we hosted 12 buyer delegations coming from China and 5 from abroad, organized in collaboration with regional stakeholders and associations. The program served also 180 individually selected buyers from 25 countries who engaged in over 450 one-on-one business matchings, maximizing their experience and helping exhibitors reach highly qualified prospects.
3. What are your target markets for this year? What are your target markets this year? According to which criteria do you determine your target markets? Could you list the problems you encounter while bringing visitors from these markets to the fair?
As an Asia-based trade show, our primary focus remains the broader Asian region. Historically, DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR has attracted strong participation from the Far Eastern markets such as Japan, South Korea, and Oceania. In recent years, we have seen significant growth from Southeast Asia, the Middle East, South America, and parts of Africa, as these regions are experiencing rapid expansion in building and construction industries and also strengthening economic ties with China. Additionally, as global supply chains continue to shift, we are observing renewed interest from North America and Europe, especially Eastern Europe, as companies explore new sourcing channels and business opportunities in Asia.
We determine our target markets based on a mix of criteria, including analyzing flooring industry trends, growth rates in construction and interior design sectors, trade flow and export-import data, the export priorities of Chinese and other Asian manufacturers and last but not least, strategic feedback from exhibitors, buyers, and partners, both in China and internationally. These insights allow us to identify high-potential regions where DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR can offer the most value, both in terms of sourcing and market access.
Of course, attracting visitors from these markets can present challenges. For new emerging markets, in particular, it takes time to establish solid networks. Here, we are invested in building new partnerships and multiplier networks that help us access the targeted communities and database and have implemented a go to the market approach, with many in person attendances.
Geopolitical uncertainties, fluctuating travel costs, and visa complexities that still remain for some countries (including Turkey), also impact participation at our event. To address these challenges, we actively support our clients and visitors by negotiating rates with various suppliers of services for their attendance, provide visa assistance by coordinating directly with Chinese authorities or through our appointed travel agents, offering tailored programs such as our Buyer Club as mentioned earlier. Our goal is to remove as many barriers as possible so that qualified professionals from around the world can experience the full benefits of participating in the show.
4. Considering the intense market competition and global challenges in accessing new markets, what kind of additional support would be beneficial for you as a trade fair organizer to stay competitive?
DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR has firmly established itself as a leading platform and trendsetter in the global flooring industry. No other platform in the region covers the carpet and flooring sectors with such scale and international reach. Our long-standing partnerships with key industry stakeholders, companies and buyers in China and worldwide, which are based on loyalty and trust, have been crucial for us in establishing this position. We work closely with all of them to adapt the show’s strategy and offerings to meet evolving market needs and stay ahead of the competition.
We are also at the front line of keeping the flooring audience well-informed about the show and the industry in Asia, through intensive communication and activities, aiming to instill confidence by showcasing the wealth of opportunities that still exist in the markets we represent.
Our media partners around the world, for example, play a key role in supporting us on this journey. We’ve expanded our media collaborations into emerging high-potential markets, particularly in Southeast Asia and Middle East, to ensure a broader coverage in attracting the regional players. In addition, the use of many direct multiple channels, including social media, newsletters, and other digital platforms, remain a key part of our communication strategy. We have a large database to serve especially in China but also internationally.
That said, additional external support would further strengthen our ability to stay competitive. In particular, access to market intelligence tools and region-specific data platforms could be an additional help for us in raising visibility in emerging markets.
5. Is there anything else you would like to add or highlight about your event?
Over the years, DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR has evolved into a comprehensive platform that aligns with buyers’ needs for product diversification and expanded market reach.
Our theme for many years has been “More than Flooring,” reflecting the industry’s ongoing trend to expand its product range and diversify the offerings. A part from its core carpet and flooring sectors, the show is enlarging its offering with complementary products such as wall and ceiling decorations, interior finishings, cabinets, doors, outdoor solutions, and more. This aligns with visitors seeking integrated sourcing for interior and exterior spaces.
Also, since some years now, DOMOTEX asia is held in synergy with other related events, such as R+T Asia, the leading Asia-Pacific exhibition for sun shading systems and doors/gates, Cadex, an event dedicated to contract, design and architecture community and others. All these events come together under BUILD ASIA MEGA SHOW platform, aiming to facilitate the conversation across different industries, enabling cross visitation and providing opportunities for exposure to new channels in the broader construction, building materials and interior design sectors.