The new “container” for this year’s 53rd edition of Genoa International Boat Show has been recently announced in a technical meeting with the press, held in Genoa, Italy. The 2013 Boat Show will run from October 2 to 6.
Genoa International Boat Show
A new calendar schedule, an innovative layout, a variety of exhibition areas, new services and an important commitment to create a dialogue with Genoa itself: these are the main aspects that were highlighted in the course of the meeting with the organisers’ senior executives, Sara Armella and Anton Francesco Albertoni, Presidents of Fiera di Genova and UCINA (Italian Boating Industry Confederation) respectively, Marina Stella, General Manager of Ucina and Antonio Bruzzone, Managing Director of Fiera di Genova.
“The Genoa Boat Show 2013 will be very different from its previous editions” – said the organisers – “What you will see this year is an evolution of the show, starting from its “container”, which has been totally redesigned to create a new way of visiting and enjoying the show. Building on its fifty years’ experience and a constructive exchange with the interested parties, the event now aims to be more in touch with reality and, we believe, more effective, in terms of venue and exhibition design and layout, as well as calendar schedule”.
Fiera di Genova’s and Ucina’s senior executives continued to explain that “The evolution of the event has been planned after listening to and investigating the issues raised and the points made by several parties already from the end of last year’s show. A listening exercise which was conducted by Ucina, through direct communication with boat builders and exhibitors, and by Fiera di Genova, through a survey with visitors and operators. This and much more input information was used to redesign the show, in a manner that would better respond to the market’s new requirements, with the aim to maintain the event’s leadership status.”
Many the novelties that will be seen this year. To begin with, the show will take place at the start of the month, a period that was chosen to fit in effectively in the industry’s international calendar of events. The length of the show has been cut down from 9 to 5 days, to respond to a preference expressed by exhibitors, who said they would rather concentrate the event over less days, so as to focus interest. A change which is also in line with the trend seen in the international trade show offer.
Totally redesigned also the layout of the show, which, this year, will see many more boats being displayed directly on water, making the best of the Genoa Boat Show’s unique feature, the presence of the sea literally “inside it”. A new way to enjoy the event, with many tangible novelties, starting from the newly-built “Red Wall” to the possibility of taking part in interactive and sea test trials.
The visit will provide an experience of direct discovery of the boating world, in all its forms and expressions. Visitors will be guided through the new layout – designed by Caliari e Associati – by a redesigned signposting system, with a specific purpose and fil rouge, aiming to create an easier-to-follow and more effective itinerary, in terms of both time and distance.
And as far as novelties go, that’s not it. This year, the Genoa Boat Show evolves, to present an even more diversified offer, new product categories and a clear division of spaces by areas of interest and contents.
New exhibition areas will be added to the existing, already comprehensive, offer, focusing on the main trends in the boating sector: the Sea Experience area, in the Sea Pavilion (Padiglione del Mare), will be devoted to water sports and accessories and will provide an entertaining opportunity for interactivity, with many test trial options; the Power Village area, in the uncovered space by the Marina 1 Square (Piazzale Marina 1), will be dedicated to marine engines, while the Boat Discovery area will offer visitors all they need for their first boat purchase.
In addition to the above, existing, reconfirmed exhibition areas include Sailing World, entirely dedicated to sailing boats, in Marina 1, the Motorboats area, showcasing motorboats ranging from 12 metres crafts to maxiyachts, and the Tech Trade area, in Pavilion B (Padiglione B), upper floor, dedicated to accessories, components and electronic cruising instruments.
Worthy of note the improvement that was much wanted by organisers in terms of services to both visitors and exhibitors: a new parking area for exhibitors providing over 200 spaces, as many as 4 new F&B outlets, bringing the number of restaurants to a total of 13 (including the Cambusa della Vela, which will focus mostly on Italian products, and a themed bar, which will follow the latest trends), discounted online ticketing, improvement of the wireless network enabling Wi-Fi connection throughout the show grounds, new signposting, newly-refurbished relaxation areas, including an eco-friendly one made entirely of recycled materials.
Extremely important is also the synergic effort put in by the organisers to create a constant and open dialogue with Genoa itself, so as to be able to offer a variety of initiatives “outside the Boat Show”, as well as a choice of special tourist promotions. A round table has been set up between the organisers and Genoa’s Department for Culture to extend the duration of some successful exhibitions and add new initiatives to the city’s calendar of events during the days of the Boat Show.
These initiatives include, in particular, GenovaInBlu, a city-wide event that has been confirmed also for this year and originates from a need to enable everyone – visitors, guests and citizens alike – to enjoy and appreciate Genoa’s extraordinary artistic, cultural and commercial heritage, in line with a model that has already been successfully tested elsewhere in relation to other trade show events.
A dialogue is also in place with national and international tour operators and transport companies (from Trenitalia to many airlines) to facilitate the access of national and international visitors.
THE GENOA INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW AT A GLANCE
Organisers: Fiera di Genova and UCINA; admission: operators and general public; dates: from Wednesday 2 October to Sunday 6 October, 2013; opening hours: 10:00am to 6:30pm; ticket price: € 15 (concession fare: € 13; electronic online ticket: € 13 + booking fee; free entry for children up to 14 years of age and disabled persons) Exhibition Managers: Alessandro Campagna and Maurizio Galbiati; exhibitors info: boatshow@ucina.net.
