The two-to-five hectare centre will also include a conference hall and training rooms for domestic and foreign businesses.

Dien Quang Hiep, Director of the Mifaco Group, which exports furniture to the US and the EU, says the centre will become a convenient place for foreign companies to seek cooperative opportunities.

A showroom of this kind already exists at the city’s Investment and Trade Promotion Centre, however, it is small and products are displayed for a short time.

Tran Quoc Manh, Deputy Chairman of the Handicraft and Wood Industry Association of Ho Chi Minh City (HAWA), says centres for permanent product displays are found in many places overseas, but they are usually used for a single industry sector, such as the Las Vegas Furniture Centre.

If the HCM City centre aims to show all the export items, it should have concrete links with other organisations, including national trade promotion agencies and trade consulates in different countries, he suggests.

Nguyen Duc Tuan, Chairman of the Vietnam Leather and Footwear Association, says it is important to determine a suitable location and contractor to build the centre. Normally, the centre should be built on a main street in the city suitable for a wide range of events to take place there.

The HCM City Union of Business Association (HUBA) is putting the finishing touch to the project, with funds to be sourced mainly from domestic investors. Foreign investors and expo organisers are also encouraged to take part in the project.