Participants and experts called for the establishment of a city where huge international deco exhibitions and forums could be held. They also called for the city to be established away from the busy parts of Jeddah to avoid traffic.

“Such a city should be ready to receive guests and present them with professional services. Guests should be able to live in hotels, visit attractions and enjoy electronic services to facilitate their stay. Such big events should be aired live through satellite TV,” said Hia Al-Sindi, the event’s organizer.

The recommendations also called for the need to expand the Kingdom’s furniture industry. Al-Sindi said this would create more job opportunities for Saudi youth and women.

The recommendations also called for the need to establish more institutes and academies that specialize in the field of interior design and furniture design. “Although there are faculties focusing on design in some colleges and universities, the labor market needs more trained Saudi nationals to replace expatriate workers. The Saudi market needs at least 50,000 specialists in furniture and interior design,” said Al-Sindi. Decoration experts also called for an annual competition in the field of design and decoration to encourage young men and women to be creative. “We also plan to focus on Saudi talent in the field of decoration,” she said.

Experts suggested the establishment of a professional association of interior designers that would include local designers in addition to facilitating communication between designers and decoration companies.

“Such an association will help designers plan and organize an international forum outside the Kingdom and promote their products for Western people,” said Al-Sindi, adding that it is important that the large deposits owned by Saudi women be used for investments.

“The wealth owned by many women is in banks doing nothing. There is some SR70 to SR100 billion like this. Only 30 percent of money is used in investment projects,” she said. “Fifty percent of women are young and not ready to work while the other half do not have the ability to work professionally,” she added.