Sourcing trips · Factory visits · QC · Logistics
Sourcing trips and factory visits for FF&E buyers
Overview
Meet the factories that will make your furniture, lighting and décor before you commit. IHG Brands plans and accompanies sourcing trips from Dubai to China, Indonesia, India, Europe and Turkey, and runs showroom tours across the UAE.
The trip is the start, not the end: we follow production, inspect at the factory, consolidate every supplier and deliver to your site in the UAE or GCC.
- Destinations
- China · Indonesia · India · Europe · Turkey · UAE
- Planned from
- Dubai, UAE
- After the trip
- QC, consolidation, delivery
- Track record
- 150+ projects, 15+ years
Where we take you
Each destination is strong in different categories. Many projects combine two, for example case goods from one country and lighting or rattan from another.
GuangdongChina
Foshan for furniture, Zhongshan Guzhen for lighting, and the CIFF and Canton Fair seasons in Guangzhou.
JavaIndonesia
Teak and carving in Jepara, rattan in Cirebon, and wood and mixed-material workshops across Central and East Java.
North IndiaIndia
Brass and metalware in Moradabad, wood and iron furniture in Jodhpur, carving in Saharanpur, and the IHGF Delhi Fair.
Italy · Spain · Portugal · TurkeyEurope and Turkey
Italian furniture districts and Salone del Mobile, Spanish lighting and ceramics, Portuguese furniture makers, and İnegöl and Istanbul.
Dubai · SharjahUAE sourcing tours
Showrooms, local joinery and upholstery workshops, and INDEX and The Hotel Show at Dubai World Trade Centre.
Any countryFactory QC inspections
Pre-production, during-production and pre-shipment inspections and container loading checks, with or without a trip.
Why go to the factory
Catalogues and video calls show finished pieces. A factory visit shows how they are made: the timber, the joints, the foam and fabric, the finishing line, the packing, and whether the factory has the capacity for your quantities and dates.
For hotel and branded-residence projects it also shows whether a supplier can meet contract requirements: fire-rated upholstery, consistent finishes across hundreds of rooms, and packing that survives sea freight to the Gulf.
- See materials, construction and finishing quality first-hand
- Check capacity and real lead times for your quantities
- Approve finishes and prototypes on the spot
- Compare several suppliers in a few days, not months of email
One team from the factory floor to your site
Sourcing trips often fail after the flight home: samples are not followed up, quality drifts in production, and goods from five factories arrive in five shipments at different times.
We stay with the order. The same team that walked the factories with you follows production, inspects it, consolidates every supplier into planned shipments, clears customs into the UAE or GCC, stores goods if the site is not ready, and installs.
What we handle
Route planning
Factories, showrooms and fairs grouped by city so travel days are short and every visit has a purpose.
Pre-screened factories
Suppliers checked for the category, contract experience, capacity and export record before you visit.
Interpreting and negotiation
Technical questions asked in the room, in the supplier’s language where needed, and answers written down.
One visit record
Photos, prices, MOQs, lead times and sample requests captured per supplier and shared after each day.
Staged QC
Pre-production approval, during-production and pre-shipment inspections, and container loading checks.
Freight to the UAE and GCC
Consolidation with your other suppliers, shipping, customs clearance and delivery through our logistics partners.
How a sourcing trip runs
Before you fly
Brief and shortlist
You share the product list, drawings, mood board, quantities and budget. We shortlist factories and showrooms that make that category at contract quality, and agree the route and dates with you.
Before you fly
Appointments and logistics
We book factory appointments, ground transport, interpreters where needed, and a day-by-day plan. Fair tickets and registration are arranged when the trip is built around a trade fair.
On the ground
Accompanied factory visits
A member of the team travels with you, asks the technical questions (materials, finishes, capacity, lead times, packing, fire certification) and records every sample and price in one shortlist.
On the ground
Samples and decisions
Finish samples and prototypes are requested on the spot, with clear owners and dates, so the decision is not lost when you fly home.
After the trip
Comparison and negotiation
You receive a side-by-side comparison of the shortlisted suppliers. We negotiate, issue purchase orders on your instruction and follow production.
After the trip
QC, consolidation and delivery
Staged inspections at the factory, consolidation with your other suppliers, shipping into the UAE or GCC, customs clearance, storage if the site is not ready, and installation.
Trade fairs worth timing a trip around
A fair lets you see many suppliers in a day; the factory visits that follow show which of them can deliver. These are the main fairs for hospitality furniture, lighting and décor buyers.
| Fair | Where | Next dates |
|---|---|---|
| IIFF Istanbul (furniture) | Istanbul, Turkey | Usually January; confirm 2027 dates with the organiser |
| Maison&Objet Paris | Paris Nord Villepinte, France | 14–18 Jan 2027 and 9–13 Sep 2027 |
| CIFF Guangzhou | Canton Fair Complex, Pazhou, Guangzhou | 18–21 Mar 2027 (home furniture, décor, outdoor); 28–31 Mar 2027 (office and commercial) |
| IHGF Delhi Fair | India Expo Centre & Mart, Greater Noida | 15–19 Mar 2027 (spring); 15–19 Oct 2027 (autumn) |
| Salone del Mobile.Milano with Euroluce | Fiera Milano, Rho, Italy | 13–18 Apr 2027 |
| Canton Fair (spring session) | Guangzhou, China | Usually April; confirm 2027 dates with the organiser |
| INDEX Dubai with The Hotel Show | Dubai World Trade Centre, UAE | 1–3 Jun 2027 |
| Feria Hábitat València | Valencia, Spain | Usually late September; confirm 2027 dates with the organiser |
| Downtown Design (Dubai Design Week) | Dubai Design District, UAE | Usually November; confirm 2027 dates with the organiser |
Dates checked on 13 Nov 2026 against organiser websites. Organisers can change dates; we confirm before any booking.
Frequently asked questions
Which countries do your sourcing trips cover?
China, Indonesia, India, Europe (mainly Italy, Spain and Portugal) and Turkey, plus showroom and workshop tours in the UAE. Trips can combine more than one country.
How long is a typical trip?
It depends on the categories and cities. A focused trip to one cluster, such as Foshan for furniture, can be planned over three days; multi-city trips take longer. We propose a route once we see your product list.
When is the best time to go?
Many buyers time trips around a trade fair, such as CIFF Guangzhou in March or Salone del Mobile in April, and add factory visits before or after. Outside fair season, factories have more time for you.
Do I have to buy from the factories we visit?
No. The trip is there to help you decide. You choose which suppliers go forward, and we only issue purchase orders on your instruction.
Can you run the procurement after the trip?
Yes. Most clients ask us to negotiate, place the orders, follow production, inspect, consolidate and deliver, so one team is accountable from the factory floor to the site.
Can you visit factories for me if I cannot travel?
Yes. We can visit on your behalf with a video call from the factory floor, and send photos, measurements and a written report of each visit.
Plan your sourcing trip
Share your product list, drawings or a mood board, your dates and the cities you want to cover. The Dubai team replies with a proposed route and next steps. Monday to Saturday, 9:00 am to 7:00 pm (Gulf Standard Time). Closed on Sunday.