Furnishers across the province faced a tough stretch during the pandemic as many shifted emphasis toward the contracting sector. Restrictions hitting hotels, restaurants, and related services caused a sharp drop in sales and pushed some firms toward financial risk. Yet the landscape has shifted back to normal, and a steady rebound is underway. Tourism recovery and a renewed push to modernize workspaces have sparked a wave of renovations for hotels, eateries, and offices, lifting exports to record heights. In Alicante, foreign sales reached €57.7 million in the first half of the year, up about 20% from the same period in 2019 and marking the strongest half-year figure on record. This rebound reflects a broader shift toward mixed-use and hospitality-driven demand, with exporters widening their footprint in traditional markets and beyond.
The Covid period unleashed major hardship for Alicante’s furniture makers, a sharp contrast to more gradual national trends. Amparo Bertomeu, managing director of the Spanish National Association of Furniture Manufacturers and Exporters (Anieme), notes that people cocooned at home sparked a home-refresh impulse, with rising interest in replacing cabinets, chairs, and sofas. Many Alicante firms had leaned heavily into the contract sector, a choice that amplified vulnerability as hotels, schools, airports, and other public spaces faced closures and teleworking reshaped office use.
Comparing the pandemic year to pre-pandemic activity highlights the impact: exports were €47.4 million in the first half of 2019, dropped to €36.4 million in 2020, and then rose to €44.3 million in 2021. While those levels lagged behind the 2019 peak, the latest period shows a healthier trajectory as sales reach €57.7 million with recovery led by traditional markets such as France, Portugal, Germany, and Italy. The pattern underscores a pivot toward markets where hospitality and design-driven renovations continue to drive demand, even amid global economic shifts. (Cited industry sources)
Bertomeu explains that the recovery has a twofold dynamic. Tourism rebounded strongly and spurred investments in hotel and restaurant sectors, while companies began adapting to a new normal by upgrading work environments—without a sweeping, immediate reform of existing workplaces. This combination helped restore confidence and supported export activity as firms diversified their customer base. (Attribution: Anieme insights)
Marble continues in recession as footwear strengthens export recovery
An illustrative contract-market example is Actiu, a Castalla-based company. CEO Joaquín Berbegal observes that current performance is robust, noting that the firm is about 27% ahead of last year and aims to finish the year with roughly a 30% gain. If these expectations hold, exports would once again approach 2019 levels. Regarding future prospects, he cautions about a potential downturn in the next two years, driven by energy costs and raw material pressures, but remains cautiously optimistic that there won’t be a radical shift in the near term. (Executive remarks on market outlook)
Amparo Bertomeu adds that the euro-dollar exchange rate currently supports foreign sales, and she argues that a simultaneous, across-the-board collapse in all markets is unlikely. The currency dynamics provide some cushion as exporters navigate a landscape influenced by energy, logistics, and cost fluctuations. (Perspective from Anieme)