Visitors to the forthcoming Barcelona Boat Show will have a unique opportunity to admire important new models, including more than 60 boats to be revealed in Spain from among the 650 that will be displayed at the event. This will be possible thanks to the presence of 236 exhibitors, comprising leading national and international builders. This year’s event will start one day earlier, on September 24th, to coincide with the Mercè Fiesta as well as the last day of the Mediterranean Tall Ships Regatta, with sailboats that develop educational projects.
Barcelona Boat Show 2012
Following the course set at the last edition, this year’s Barcelona International Boat Show will concentrate all exhibits and activities in Port Vell, from September 24th to 29th. In addition to the Moll de la Fusta, the show will also occupy the new Moll d’Espanya jetty, where in-water boats and stands will be on the same level, facilitating public access to the boats.
In addition to the in-water exhibition of boats from 8 metres in length, visitors will also be able to find all types of nautical products and services on land including electronics and engines, paints, sails, tugs, fishing articles, charters, sports marinas, small boats and inflatable crafts.
The list of new products includes the Lagoon 52, a spectacular catamaran cruiser with flybridge that has a large glazed interior saloon with 360º views; the Minorchino 54 Fly, a new generation llaüt from Sasga Yachts that features a second helm position and classic interiors, designed for long crossings.
Other highlights are Sunseeker’s new Manhattan 55, a 17-metre sports cruiser that experts compare with a Rolls Royce of the sea for its design, finishes and equipment; the Princess V57 sports cruiser, one of the most exclusive and elegant at the show, with the stamp of the group that owns the shipyard, in the hands of Möet Hennessy Louis Vuitton.
The President of the Barcelona Boat Show, Luis Conde, highlighted “the effort made by exhibitors in opting again for the show to present their new products despite the specific sector difficulties and those arising from the economic crisis. I am convinced that the show will contribute to energising the market and overcoming the current climate”.
For his part, The Secretary General of the Asociación Nacional de Empresas Náuticas, ANEN, Carlos Sanlorenzo stated that “the show is a benchmark meeting point for companies, the industry and enthusiasts, all links that make up the nautical recreation sector that, in this setting, have a great opportunity to pool their interests.
According to ANEN, it is estimated that the nautical recreational sector generates around 107,500 jobs and contributes 17,192 million Euros to the Spanish economy, directly and by induced effect. In order to talk about this and other issues related to nautical recreation and its potential on tourism, and with the aim of sourcing new business opportunities, ANEN, with the collaboration of the show, is organising a seminar “Nautical Charter, new scene for the future of the nautical industry” on Friday 27th.
La Mercè meets the Boat Show
This year, the show is starting one day earlier, Tuesday 24th, to coincide with the Fiesta for the Mercé, the city’s patron saint, and with the spectacular Mediterranean Tall Ships Regatta, with sailboats that develop educational projects based on traditional sailing values. The aim is to make the most of the synergies between all these events, attract the biggest audience and strengthen the image and exposure of this nautical sports and recreation sector that generates wealth and jobs.
The Boat Show again aspires to be a centre for promoting nautical sports and recreation. In this sense, the organisers will set up the usual Fun Beach Area, which will have a zone for trying out nautical sports with sea access, in the Moll de la Fusta, where visitors can discover and get started in nautical sports: dinghy sailing, canoeing and kayaking, amongst others. One of this year’s initiatives will be the first Barcelona SUP Festival on Saturday 28th, which will include an original race between followers of this fashionable water sport.
Another new feature is the 1st La Mercè Boat Show Trophy, on Sunday 29th, a regatta with small radio-controlled sailboats. 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.
The Espai del Mar will host presentations of regattas, books, awards and conferences on the marine environment and navigation, while the Marina Tradicional Area will feature exhibitions of traditional wooden sailboats, workshops and concerts.
For the fourth year running, the organisers have set up the Freixenet Village that, with its restaurant and terrace by the sea, will again be the show’s social centre and meeting point for entrepreneurs and representatives from various nautical fields.
The Barcelona Boat Show, the only one in Spain recognised by the International Federation of Boat Show Organisers (IFBSO), has also renewed a cooperation agreement with Deutsche Bank, according to which the bank will offer visitors specific financial products for the purchase of boats and mooring slips.
Organised by Fira de Barcelona with the collaboration of ANEN, the Boat Show will also coincide, from September 25th to 28th, with the Excellence Fair, an exhibition of 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. This event will be located next to the show but the ticket price and entrance will be separate.
