The organisation of the China Xiamen International Boat Show from 2013 onwards has been taken on by the EuropExpo and the Grand Pavois Organisation. The companies have previously collaborated on the organisation of the Shenzhen International Boat Show (2009-2011), thus are well aware of the challenges in accommodating their exhibitors both ashore as well as afloat.
Yachts at the CXIBS
Previous shows hold out promise!
Created in 2008, the China Xiamen International Boat Show (CXIBS) has developed fast, and after only a few Shows has already become one of the most important events in the Asian nautical calendar.
Laid out in the Xiamen marina, 300 pontoon locations are now available in the exhibition, offering excellent potential for development of the show. The No. 1 Water-Based Boat Show In China, with 30,000 square metres of land-based exhibition space, plus 20,000 square metres afloat, and with 200 boats on display, the CXIBS holds all the trumps to become the new key meeting-place for international pleasure boating in China.
Some revealing figures : 137 international exhibitors were present in 2012 ; 38 boats were sold ; and the Show generated ¥ 200,000,000 Yuan (£20,000,000) turnover of brands present, an increase of 18% compared to 2011. So far as visitors are concerned, 10,000 people strolled around the pontoons of Xiamen marina, with more than 1,000 identifiable prospective purchasers.
Xiamen - Photo courtesy of CXIBS
Most visitors came from Sanya, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Xinjiang, Beijing, Henan and Shannxi. On the major sales side, a Majesty 105 Superyacht priced at ¥ 65,000,000 Yuan (£6,500,000), a Majesty 88 Yacht and an 80-foot Ferretti yacht were all sold during the four days of the 2012 exhibition.
Xiamen, a town which looks to the sea !
The size and the quality of the navigable waters, the enthusiasm of the authorities for developing the tourism and nautical sectors, the growing power of the middle classes which allows them to look for a strong short-term market development in China, infrastructure programmes in full swing (notably the construction of ports and marinas), leisure clubs in full growth . . . China is looking towards water sports, and is one of the few countries with a strong economic development geared towards the international nautical industry.
And Xiamen is one of its pearls ! This town, facing across the Taiwan Strait to Taiwan, has an amazing potential for economic development, with 7,000,000 residents in its urban community and an income per capita well above the Chinese average. The town has had a growth rate of 15% over the last few years (as compared with under 10% for the rest of China). And if it is a ‘second-rank’ town in the scale of the Chinese population, its senior-management population is opening up more and more to leisure, and so to watersports.
Luxury yacht Majesty 105 by Gulf Craft - the biggest yacht sold at the 2012 CXIBS
Xiamen, the future Mecca of Chinese pleasure boating . . .
Xiamen is also a Mecca for tourism in China (Destination No. 1 for the Chinese) thanks to its temperatures and pleasant weather (eight months of the year with temperatures no lower than 16°C). The region has beautiful subtropical scenery and a rugged coastline, which offers many different destinations for boat trips. Another trend, also being developed, is that of pleasure boating : Xiamen has included this in its Development Plan, and the marina offers all the necessary conveniences and services, with a good potential for development (not to saturation point). The construction of a number of homes built around marinas can be seen in the estate agents’ listings. Finally, marine activity is flourishing, with some organised regattas and many beginners’ sailing courses for students. The local marine industry has not missed out either, as there are already several brands present, with naval workshops and clubs such as Hey Sea, Sea Stella, Fulcrum Yachts, Marinetek, NAVI Marine, Tongda Rope & Cable, Sime Darby Machinery and Ninety Nine Yacht Services.
Its aim : to make CXIBS a benchmark international boat show in China and Asia
EuropExpo and Grand Pavois Organisation (GPO), organiser of the Grand Pavois International In-Water Boat Show at La Rochelle since 1973 (in France) are going to manage its commercial development, take control of the logistics and the operation of the show, and also its international communications strategy so as to enhance the international development of CXIBS (China Xiamen International Boat Show) from 2013 onwards. A new development of potential exhibitors afloat and ashore, the opportunity to try the boats at sea, exhibitors’ services, operations targeted towards prospective customers . . . EuropExpo and GPO are working with the big names in the leisure boating industry to promote, enhance and develop this Chinese meeting-place for an Asian population in search of a new leisure interest: boating.
CXIBS - Reporters and Photographers - Photo courtesy of CXIBS
The aims of EuropExpo and GPO : to develop the number of exhibitors ashore and afloat, to have 300 boats of between 25 and 130 feet on show on the pontoons, to optimise the client prospects, to encourage the discovery of water sports and to organise professional meetings, so as to encourage networking. The dates for your diary : from 1st. to 4th November 2013 !
