Less buyer turnover marked the 2026 edition in Las Vegas, but consistent results and a return to Orlando in 2027 renew expectations for a recovery at the leading event for the industry in the Americas.
Coverings 2026 reflected a change in the profile of the leading trade show for the natural stone sector in the Americas. The number of visitors was lower than expected and the presence of new buyers was less strong at this year’s edition, held in Las Vegas from March 30 to April 2, reflecting a more cautious environment in the North American market.
With 39 companies spread across an area covering around 820 square meters, the Brazilian participation was carried out through the program It’s Natural – Brazilian Natural Stone, developed by the Brazilian Natural Stone Association (Centrorochas) in partnership with the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil).
Despite a decrease in visitor numbers, Brazil’s commercial performance was consistent. For the Brazilian Pavilion, the fair ended with US$15.9 million in business deals negotiated during the event and an expectation of US$42.9 million for the next 12 months, totaling US$58.8 million in estimated deals. Over four days, 2,184 business contacts were registered, 556 of which were new, mostly from buyers from the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
According to the president of Centrorochas, Tales Machado, the behavior of the fair reflected a noticeable change in the business environment. “We noticed that the aisles were less crowded and visitor flow was lower than expected throughout almost the entire event. Coverings is still strategic, but with less prospecting intensity, requiring companies to increasingly act based on relationships, business intelligence, and customer retention ability,” he states.
The lower visitor flow was especially noticeable considering the reduced amount of exploratory buyers, a profile usually associated with sales prospecting. Many visitors to the Brazilian booths were already loyal customers who maintain an ongoing relationship with the exhibiting companies. The vice-president of Centrorochas, Fábio Cruz, noted that the economic context helps explain this behavior. “Las Vegas tends to anticipate signs of a slowdown in the U.S. economy as it depends heavily on tourism, entertainment, and conventions. A slower pace of life in the city generally reflects caution in consumption and investment,” he says.
The 2026 edition demonstrated that Coverings is still relevant as a platform for maintaining and establishing businesses, but with a smaller capacity for spontaneous renewal of demand, an important sign for companies that depend on the fair for business expansion. For Tales Machado, the numbers need to be interpreted with maturity. “In a more selective environment, the business diplomacy work we have been carrying out in the United States becomes even more important, strengthening the positioning of Brazilian stones in the region, especially considering products with a higher added value. The outlook for 2027 is positive, with the return of the fair to Orlando, a destination that historically attracts more visitors and exhibitors and tends to recover some of the business dynamism that we didn’t see in this edition in Las Vegas,” he states.
