Set to take place at Lusail Marina in Lusail City from November 12th to 16th, the Qatar International Boat Show (QIBS) 2013 is surpassing expectations, with bookings already being taken for the 2014 edition of the show, even before this year’s very first event has started.
QIBS 2013 press conference
Three major international ship yards have already signed up for next year’s show with a number of other enquiries being taken. Of the 24 international exhibitors at this year’s show, the largest contingent is from Italy, with no fewer than nine major ship yards represented.
With just 48 hours to go before the start of QIBS 2013, exhibitors were still signing up for this year’s show, including prestigious brands such as the Porsche Centre, Doha – represented by Boraq Automobiles; and Al Wajba Motors – the dealer for Bentley, Lamborghini and McLaren. Both cited the fact that their target audiences were synonymous with the clientele for the Qatar International Boat Show.
To coincide with the first Qatar International Boat Show, plans are already under way to create Qatar’s very own Marine Association. Following a press conference announcement by H.E. Hassan Bin Jabor Al-Thani, President of the Qatar Marine Sports Federation, a round table meeting of maritime stakeholders is to be held during the Qatar International Boat Show at which the Qatar Marine Association will be created.
The timing is auspicious because one of the primary objectives of the QIBS is to establish a platform for the well being of the maritime industry. Such an Association will promote awareness of the local market, create opportunities by identifying needs and attracting the right calibre of specialists, and achieve international recognition for all that Qatar had to offer in this field.
Faysal Mikati, Vice President of Snow Conceptual Communications, which is organising the Qatar international Boat Show, says the international boating community are coming to experience ‘Brand Qatar’. “They have come to meet and explore this new market. The local market, on the other hand, has very high expectations of QIBS 2013. But for this to happen, the local market and people in the region need to show their support in equal measure.
I would particularly like to thank our sponsors and partners without whom the Show would not have been possible. They include Lusail Marina – the venue for QIBS; Mourjan Marinas IGY – a leading industry provider for marinas and management services; Qatar Tourism Authority – which supervises the development of tourism in Qatar; Qatar Marine Sports Federation; Qatar’s Ministry of the Interior; Katara Hospitality – the official hospitality sponsor; The Ritz-Carlton, Doha – the official hotel; Ali Bin Ali – distributor of Ulysse Nardin – the official watch brand; Qatar Airways – which is the official carrier for the Show; Mannai Marine as a Gold sponsor; BCC – the official freight forwarder; AIG as the official insurance company; ‘World of Yachts and Boats’ – the Show’s official magazine; ‘Sur La Terre’ – the Show’s lifestyle partner; Al Kass TV – the official media partner; Kuluna – a programme for prevention and safety in the sea founded by Hamad Medical Centre and Conoco Philips; the Diplomatic Club, Doha – a private and exclusive members club, which is the exclusive caterer; and QVision – the audio-visual partner.
“Qataris are proud of their country and proud of their heritage. The very first Qatar International Boat Show is something else they will be able to add to their long list of things to be proud of. We look forward to welcoming as many as possible to Lusail Marina over the next few days where I have no doubt that QIBS 2013 will be beyond their expectations,” Mikati concluded.
