On Tuesday, Riyadh will host the preview event of the Furniture Fair, “Red in Progress. Salone del Mobile. Milano meets Riyadh”—a three-day programme paving the way for the first edition of the Milan Salone del Mobile to be held in Riyadh in 2026, marking the event’s debut in the Middle East.
Thirty-eight Italian companies, selected for their excellence in quality, innovation and sustainability, will be featured. The programme will also include a platform dedicated to B2B meetings between Italian and Saudi companies operating in the design sector.
The initiative—attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, as part of his mission to Saudi Arabia—is organised with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Italian Trade Agency (ITA), in partnership with the Saudi Ministry of Culture.
Italy’s furniture sector generated approximately EUR 10 billion in exports in the first half of 2025, confirming the country’s leading role in the Saudi design market. In 2024, Italian wood-furniture exports to Saudi Arabia reached EUR 288.3 million, an increase of 16.9%. Saudi Arabia is the second-largest market in the Middle East and North Africa for Italian furniture, with Made in Italy products dominating the high-end segment with a market share of around 36%.
