Few, many, fewer than 2019 or as many. For sure, the Russian visitors who will come to the Salone del Mobile in Milan for this year’s edition (7-12 June 2022 at the Rho Fair) will have to be very motivated. Because no law prohibits them from participating in trade fairs in Italy, nor are there penalties affecting furniture products. So much so that in recent months, despite the restrictive measures adopted by Europe against Russia following the invasion of Ukraine, there has been no shortage of Russians at Italian fairs.
Stop to the official delegations
They will not miss the Salone either, as some exhibitors assure Il Sole 24 Ore, who ask not to be mentioned, but confirm that many of their traditional buyers and partners will be present. However, they will come on their own, in a personal capacity and not, as in previous years, at the invitation of the organizers or through the incoming programs of the Ice Agency. In fact, the agency, being a government body, suspended its promotional and incoming activities in Russian territory immediately after the outbreak of the war.
Similarly, last March the international association of trade fair organizations (UFI) had issued a directive addressed to all its members, in which it advised the organizing bodies not to invite exhibitors and buyers from Russia and Belarus. This is not a binding document, but it is clear that the majority (if not all) of the interested parties have chosen to follow this line.
How will they reach Italy
No official or institutional delegation directly invited by the Salone, therefore, or through the activities of Ice. But the Russians, as mentioned, will not be missing. They will probably be less, as Vittorio Torrembini, president of GIM-Unimpresa (the association of Italian entrepreneurs in Russia) predicts, for two reasons: “Obtaining a visa and booking flights and hotels requires times and procedures a little longer and more complicated than usually – explains Torrembini -. Therefore it is likely that only really interested and motivated operators will decide to come. Furthermore, there is another problem: in recent months the ruble has lost purchasing power, while at the same time the Italian producers have raised their prices. furthermore, due to the war and sanctions, the logistics for delivering goods have become more complicated and expensive. All this will also affect the choice of Russian buyers whether or not to participate in the Show ».
From a practical point of view, however, there are no prohibitions, only difficulties: the Italian consulate in Moscow has reduced staff, but is operational and issues visas to Italy. To reduce time and complications, many visitors, including professional ones, have applied for tourist visas rather than business ones. Flying to Milan is also a problem, but it is feasible, with a stopover in Turkey, Serbia or Dubai. As for payments, to book hotels or entrance tickets, Russian buyers can rely on agencies that have accounts abroad (when they are not themselves holders of a foreign account, as often happens) or directly from supplier companies.