Demand for furniture and interior products in the Gulf region is rising so fast the market is close to achieving parity with mature well-established markets like the EU, US and Japan, according to the organisers of a Dubai-based interiors event.

Index 2007 to be held from November 1 to 5 at Dubai International Exhibition Centre, will mark the 17th anniversary of the original Index event.

Official figures show that imports of furniture and interiors products to the Gulf region, which exceeded $6.5 billion in 2006, are rising at a significant rate

Covering over 61,000sqm of floor space, last year's Index 2006 completely filled the high-profile venue and featured 1,575 exhibitors from 57 countries, plus 35 country pavilions.

"Index is a truly global event, both in terms of exhibitors and the audience of professional buyers and specifiers who come from the whole of the GCC region, the Indian subcontinent, wider Middle East region, Africa, Europe and even the Far East and America," said dmg world media exhibition development director Kim Willis.

"Over the years, we have developed the show into a true one-stop sourcing event for the industry," she said.