Set to be held at KINTEX of Gyeonggi Province in the Republic of Korea from June 12 to 15, the 2014 Korea International Boat Show (KIBS) will feature the USA Pavilion, hosting U.S. marine manufacturers.
Since Congress ratified the U.S. – Korea Free Trade Agreement, new opportunities for U.S. exporters to sell American manufactured goods and services to Korea is expected to increase. In fact, nearly 95 percent of consumer and industrial products will become duty free within the next three years and most remaining tariffs will be eliminated within the next 8 years. These low barriers to market, coupled with “Made in America” quality and prestige, will make it hard for domestic boat builders to compete with U.S. imported products. The Korea International Boat Show’s USA Pavilion is a way for U.S. marine manufacturers to get a glimpse of the potential.
In just six years KIBS has grown to become one of the three leading boat shows in Asia. Join the NMMA USA/North American Pavilion at this valuable show. Register early for added incentives including three nights hotel. The Early Bird Registration deadline: April 23. Contact Julie Balzano, director of export development, at jbalzano@nmma.org to register.
What’s more, Korea’s extensive natural coastline (over 12,000 km) is ideal for recreational boating, with inland waterways connected to Seoul and fantastic inshore coastal recreational fishing due to mature artificial reefs. Twenty marinas are now open with twelve more under construction. Currently, two marinas are in their final planning stage. Fishing and scuba diving are also increasing in popularity.
