The first trade expos in the U.S. by India-based manufacturers of products for the hotel industry will be held in Dallas and Atlanta this year. The events, featuring more than 100 suppliers, are scheduled for April 27-29 at the SLPS Event Center in Irving, TX and May 4-6 at the Gas South Convention Center in Duluth, GA.
“In recent years, the hotel industry has been looking for new options to diversify and improve the FF&E supply chain, first due to the pandemic and now due to inflation pressures and tariff wars,” Harshal Bhagat, chairman, International Business Delegation for the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SGCCI), which is organizing and sponsoring the events, told Hotel Business. “Our expos in Dallas and Atlanta offer a valuable opportunity to control your hotel supply chain instead of having the supply chain control you.”
According to Bhagat, “The Gujarat region of India has a large pool of companies with the experience and the talent to design and produce high-end, high-quality hotel furnishings. Our advantages are lower production costs, faster delivery times, and reduced import fees. It’s a unique combination that can dramatically reshape the supply chain and bottom-line results for American hoteliers.”
Admission to the trade shows will be free, and booths will represent a variety of products, notably furniture, linens, fabrics, lighting, accessories, IT support, HVAC and equipment for in-room technology and entertainment, for safety and security, and for fitness and spa.
“Attendees at these expos will meet face-to-face with more than 100 Indian hotel suppliers—the largest-ever delegation to travel to the U.S.,” added Bhagat. “You’ll see first-hand why India is not just viable but desirable as a dependable FF&E provider.”
“The very latest designs will be on display for hotel owners and developers, purchasing and procurement firms, architects, interior designers and product specifiers at hotel brands,” according to Bhagat.
The SGCCI represents almost 10,000 individual members and about 140 associations. It has a history of organizing trade shows such as Yarn Expo, Weaveknitt, Fiber 2 Fashion, Auto Expo, Energy International and Food & Agritech Expo.
“People of Indian heritage are active throughout the U.S. hotel industry—as owners, as product specifiers, and as FF&E buyers,” said Bhagat. “So it’s very appropriate that India’s leading manufacturers of hotel furnishings come here and demonstrate how they can help American hoteliers achieve their American dream.”
