The Boat Show is being redesigned to attract more buyers.
The event focuses on large ships and expands to the Barcelona Pier.
BarcelonaThe Boat Show returns after the hiatus for the America's Cup, when the spaces available to watch the competition and the team bases prevented it from taking place. Following the forced break, the event is being redesigned this year to favor quality over quantity, aiming to gain ground and try to attract customers who have been holding back on purchasing this year.
From October 8 to 12, the event, organized by Fira de Barcelona in collaboration with the National Association of Nautical Companies (ANEN), will increase the offering of large boats to attract a more premium audience. "This year's edition marks a turning point in the show's history, as we strive for a substantial improvement in overall quality," explains the show's president, Luis Conde.
The 62nd Nautical Show will feature around 200 exhibitors and showcase 500 boats: 24% will be large-scale—between 16 and 30 meters—more than double the number at the last edition. Nearly sixty models on display have never been seen before, and around 130 of the boats will be in the water. Participating brands include Brunswick, Beneteau, Antonio Yachts, Garmin, Kawasaki, Lagoon, Yamaha, and Zodiac. New companies arriving at the event will include Spanish shipyards such as Kumbra, Level, Maxim, and Cleemenss, and the Italian companies Explorer and Rio Yachts.
As a new feature, the show will incorporate the Barcelona Pier into the program, taking advantage of the transformation this area of the port is undergoing with the opening of spaces for the public. The exhibition area will be complemented by regular venues at the show, such as Marina Port Vell and the Fusta and España Piers. To complete the visit, an electric boat will connect the docks of Barcelona and Spain, providing a complete overview of the entire offering.
In addition, for the first time, the Náutico will have a meeting space for visitors and brands, located on the Drassanes Pier, just before the Barcelona Pier. Brands such as CaixaBank, Occidente, Espígulo Inmobiliario, Land Rover Quadis, and Tara will be present. Additionally, guests can try a tasting menu by chef Rafa Zafra for 150 euros, and tapas will also be available starting at 4.90 euros.
Finally, the show will feature around one hundred experts in more than thirty sessions. The conference program, organized by the Port of Barcelona, will discuss issues such as innovation, sustainability, and the blue economy. Speakers will include the president of the Port of Tangier, Mohamed Ounaya; the CEO of Seabots, Pau Guasch; the president of Marines de España, Tomás Azcárate; the director of the Barcelona Nautical Institute, Mireia Latre; and the co-founder of Ocean Ecostructures, Mireia de Mas.
All these changes should contribute to the show regaining strength with a better offering that attracts major national and international buyers. "Our intention is to reposition ourselves on the international calendar as a higher-level event within a maximum period of three years and to focus on a greater presence of leading international companies," emphasizes the show's director, Josep Antoni Llopart. All this at a time when sales are declining, with around 4,000 registrations between January and August, a 5.3% drop compared to the previous year, despite the growth experienced after the pandemic.
