Closing +17.1%. A bumper year for trade operators too: +26.8%

361,417* presences, 54.3% from abroad. The Salone del Mobile is confirmed as an international point of reference for a key industry for the economy, sustainable innovation and the future of home living. The ingredients of its success: 1,950 exhibitors from 35 different countries, a stunning Cultural Programme and a challenge called “evolution.” From design to experience. With 17.1% more visitors than in 2023, the Salone del Mobile.Milano 2024 saw a record turnout with 361,417 presences overall (100,000 more than in 2022). An excellent result for professional presences, which were up 26.8%, 65.8% of them from abroad. Figures that confirm, yet again, the pivotal role played by the event in the internationalisation of the companies within the industry, the value of the relationship networks and also the catalytic force of an event that has exceeded the boundaries of the trade fair dimension, driven by the second phase of the redesign of the layout and visitor paths in some of the trade fair pavilions, with a special focus on EuroCucina / FTK, Technology For the Kitchen and International Bathroom Exhibition biennials in particular, two sectors strongly committed to experimenting new aesthetics and functions in highly technical projects increasingly geared to a sustainable approach.

The top 15 market geographies saw China make a great comeback, followed by Germany, Spain, Brazil, France, the United States, Poland, Russia, Switzerland, Turkey, India, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Japan, and Austria. An atlas that has thrown open new business opportunities, also thanks to the numerous delegations from the United States, India, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, France and Saudi Arabia. There was a larger media presence than last year: 5,552 accredited journalists and communication professionals for a total of 6,778 admissions (50.4% from abroad), attracted by an event that successfully interpreted and narrated the new design frontiers to the world.

Public interest over the weekend (the days in which the fair was also open to nonprofessionals) was consolidated, with 32,567 fans attending, testament to the fact that an extremely high calibre offering, rounded off by a Cultural Programme of international range, serve as both a powerful magnet for industry professionals and an unmissable opportunity for design fans who visit the fair to scope new proposals and triggers for reflection. There was also an increase in the number of Italian and foreign students, which stood at 13,556, including 8,368 Italians (+25.5%), marking an average growth rate of 18.8%, young people who, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the unstoppable ‘factory’ of new talent, SaloneSatellite, accepted the invitation to discover the potential of a sector that generates meaning and beauty, through a mix of multidisciplinary skills, in line with the blue and green transition process that anticipates the future of the new generations. Lastly, the digital community’s use of the Salone’s multichannel platform exceeded expectations, with over 1 million interactions (+50% on 2023) with a 60% engagement rate, and 90 million impressions (+15% on 2023). The app achieved excellent results in terms of service use from the matchmaking which saw a rise of over 39% and interactive map navigation, with more than 450,000 searches.

Maria Porro, President of the Salone del Mobile.Milano, had this to say: “The 62nd edition of the Salone del Mobile.Milano exceeded all expectations: it was a record edition. We saw exceptional results, thanks to the confidence of an ecosystem that, yet again, recognised the international leadership of the event. With an amazing 361,417 presences, the Salone has reconfirmed its position as a matchless bridge for dialogue with the new market geographies, an intercontinental city open to innovation, in which competition stokes the competitiveness of a key sector for the country’s economy and more besides. A great ‘factory’ of meaning and lasting value, products and jobs, and tangible and intangible culture.

During the process of redesigning the format and the experiences, we kept both industrial and manufacturing and the visitors as our focus, in a bid to stimulate both sides with a stunning Cultural Programme capable of creating new connections between the powerful roots of the design culture and the definition of new future visions. The celebrations for our own SaloneSatellite, which has been intercepting and promoting new young talents for 25 years, is confirmation of this. The success of this edition is also due to the success of the Kitchen and Bathroom Biennials, in which research and development are the synthesis not only of innovation processes but are also an expression of the ability of both sectors to intercept the habits and desires of daily living. We have already started to plan for 2025, conscious that the Salone del Mobile is an opportunity for everyone, for the wood-furnishing supply chain, for Milan and for the entire Made in Italy system. What is important is to keep working together, large or small, companies and institutions, keeping sight of the formidable intuition that has driven us for 62 editions: creating and being a community. My thanks go to all those who have made this challenge not only possible but concrete, inclusive, brilliant. Like the blue velvet of David Lynch’s Thinking Rooms, a tribute to the generative thought that moves the world.”

The Keyword: Evolution

The record numbers seen in 2024 are testament to the accomplishment of a year’s work that has seen the Salone again committed to reworking the exhibition layouts and visitor paths, following the success of Euroluce 2023, with the introduction of new work and rest areas created in collaboration with Lombardini22 and harnessing the input of neuroscience. The keyword was Evolution, the body copy for the innovative communication campaign that tracked the Salone’s international Road Show, which took in 16 capital cities, from the Far East to India and South Africa, by way of Europe and North America. The tour forged new relationship networks, amplified by the Salone’s digital platform, communicating content and visions to an extended community, thanks to the many dedicated insights and to the special guests who joined the Salone as it made its way around the world for a shared reflection on the transformative power of design practices.

Cultural Programme

The new widespread Cultural Programme, coordinated by Annalisa Rosso, Editorial Director & Cultural Events Advisor, also proved a big hit with the public. Three large installations featured at the 2024. The first, Interiors by David Lynch.

25 Years of SaloneSatellite

This year too, SaloneSatellite put the spotlight on the creativity of more than 600 young designers, celebrating a special anniversary with talks, round tables, live (specialist) ping pong matches and a great exhibition at Triennale Milano, open to the public until 28th April: Universo Satellite.

See you at the 63rd edition of the Salone del Mobile.Milano with Euroluce, from 8th to 13th April 2025.

*All data in this press release were collected at 11.30 am on 21.04.2024.