Atlanta Rug show gets backing

Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 11/20/2000 12:00:00 AM

SECAUCUS, NJ -The Oriental Rug Importers Association has finalized its collaborative agreement with

AmericasMart-Atlanta to jointly promote the January Atlanta International Area Rug Market, featuring the National Oriental Rug Show, for another three years.

Scheduled for Jan. 18 to 21 (temporary showrooms from Jan. 19 to 21), the shows, which run concurrently, feature more than 500,000 square feet of exhibit space in both temporary booths on the second floor of the Merchandise Mart as well as permanent showrooms on the third, fourth, fifth and sixth floors.

The agreement calls for collaborative publicity, advertising and promotional efforts of the show, using the tagline, "If you can imagine it, you can find it in Atlanta. Guaranteed." This includes co-sponsorship of the America's Magnificent Carpet Award program and gala ceremony, scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 20, as well as other events, seminars and on-site programs. The two organizations have been already working together for 18 years.

"The quality, the excellence and excitement that the world's retailers will discover at Market this January can happen only through a partnership born of common purpose and singular vision," said Jeffrey Portman, executive vp, AMC Inc., the parent of AmericasMart-Atlanta. "That's what our ORIA relationship is all about."

Nasser Rahmanan, president of the ORIA, added: "There has been an unprecedented level of interest in the market-the second floor temporary exhibit space was sold out within one week of the show's announcement. There is no question that the upcoming January show will surpass previous Atlanta markets in terms of the number of exhibitors and new products featured."