At the moment going through remodelling, the all-new Port Vell Marina facilities will make their premiere at the upcoming Barcelona International Boat Show, taking place from September 24th to 29th. In addition to the Moll de la Fusta, the event will be using the new Moll d’Espanya jetty, which will permit in-water boats as well as stands to be on the same level, making it easier for visitors to get to the boats.
Barcelona International Boat Show - upview
“This year’s Boat Show will be very attractive thanks to the remodelling underway in Barcelona‘s Port Vell and the new design of its marquees and stands, more avant-garde than the previous edition and of top quality,” said the show’s president, Luis Conde. The new Moll d’Espanya jetty is one of the reforms being carried out in Barcelona’s port that will benefit the show, since the boats exhibited in the water and the stands will be on the same level. “Visitors will be able to walk comfortably along this concrete jetty, which will be 11 metres wide, and have easier access to the boats, the show’s big attraction”, explained the show’s Director, Jordi Freixas.
This change will give more space to the show’s Village that, this year, is being expanded in order to house the Excellence Fair shopping area for premium brands. There will be a space for visitors to discover, try and purchase the most exclusive and innovative products and services: from watches and works of art to beauty products, fashion and decoration, as well as the latest specialities for gourmets.
“We have created the Village for the last four shows to provide a new space in which to conduct business, hold work meetings or reflect on the sector in a comfortable, relaxed environment”, said Conde. “I believe that, year after year, we have managed to increase the number of entrepreneurs, sportspersons and nautical fans to visit the village. Now, our challenge is to make the most of the potential of this space”.
One more day to increase synergies
This year, the Boat Show will have one more day to coincide, on the first day (September 24th), with the Fiesta for the Mercé, the city’s patron saint, and with the Mediterranean Tall Ships Regatta. The aim is to make the most of the synergies between all these events, attract more international visitors and strengthen the image and exposure of a sector that generates wealth and jobs in Spain.
The dates were approved after the signing of the renewed agreement between the show and the Asociación Nacional de Empresas Náuticas (ANEN), the leading representative of the national nautical business and industrial sector and advisor in terms of promotion and development of the sector within the event.
For Carlos Sanlorenzo, Secretary General of ANEN, “all efforts made towards strengthening the show’s image in international markets are going to be fundamental in this and future editions. Nautical companies need all the support of the event’s organisers so that their participation has a very positive impact on their international sales strategies, in the face of the strong decline in domestic demand”.
Campaign to attract foreign buyers
Along these lines, one of the priorities of this year’s Boat Show is to attract foreign buyers, especially from Russian, French and German markets. They are more dynamic economies where family spending is stronger, which could boost sales during the fair. Fira de Barcelona’s international delegations are working on a specific campaign to attract VIP buyers to the show, not only highlighting the quality of Spanish nautical products but also taking advantage of the international reputation of the “Barcelona brand”.
This summer, the event is also starting an intense promotional campaign in Spanish sports marinas to inform nautical lovers of what Barcelona will be offering in September. The show’s new dates, much closer to the sailing season, make it easier to build loyalty among lovers of nautical sports and recreation. In fact, according to Fira de Barcelona’s opinion poll, around 87% of visitors to the previous edition said they would return in 2013.
Barcelona, the best city for a boat show
The Barcelona coast has a large number of companies and organisations that bring all types of products and services to the nautical sector. According to a report by Barcelona University and the Fundación para la Navegación Oceánica de Barcelona (FNOB) ¿a body formed by Barcelona Port, the Barcelona City Council, the Chamber of Commerce and Fira de Barcelona¿ in Catalonia, there are 1,175 companies related to the nautical sector and 68% of these (799) are situated in the province of Barcelona.
For Freixas, “Barcelona is the best European city to host a boat show since, in addition to the industrial fabric linked to the sector, its dynamism and indisputable tourist appeal, it has more value than other European venues: the possibility that a boat can sail out to sea in a matter of minutes, an essential aspect that enables potential clients to try out our exhibitors’ boats”.
The biggest nautical showcase in Spain
For the second year running, the Boat Show, organised by Fira de Barcelona, will again concentrate all exhibits and activities in Port Vell’s Espanya and Fusta docks. This privileged setting will feature the in-water show ¿with boats starting at 8 metres- and the on-land exhibition, with all types of nautical products and services, including electronics and engines, paints, sails, tugs, fishing articles, charters and sports marinas, in addition to small boats. To date, companies such as Jeanneau, Marina Estrella, Sunseeker and Volvo, among many others, have already confirmed their participation.
The show will also feature its traditional theme areas, located in Moll de la Fusta, which will host activities for all types of visitors: the Fun Beach Area that, in addition to showcasing products and services related to nautical sports, will also have an area with access to the sea where young people can take part in beginners sessions of light sailing, canoeing, kayaking, jet skiing and paddle surf, among others; the Espai del Mar, an area designed for the presentation of regattas, books, trophies and awards and also debates and conferences on the marine environment and navigation; and Marina Tradicional, with exhibitions of traditional wooden sailboats and workshops.
After its popularity at the last edition, on Friday the 27th, there will be another evening Boat Parade, which will showcase the latest innovations in design and technology.
Founder member of the IFBSO, the Barcelona International Boat Show is Spain‘s biggest nautical sports and recreation show. Organised by Fira de Barcelona, the event has the support of ANEN, with which it has signed a collaboration agreement up to 2018, and of the sector’s leading bodies.
