The 2006 International Boat Show of Barcelona will occupy all 5 pavilions of Fira de Barcelona`s Gran Via exhibition centre for the first time and will showcase around 250 large boats in the…
The 2006 International Boat Show of Barcelona will occupy all 5 pavilions of Fira de Barcelona`s Gran Via exhibition centre for the first time and will showcase around 250 large boats in the Port Vell On-Water Show.
The 2006 show will be held from the 4th to the 12th of November and will be marked by an increase in all parameters: 110,000 square metres net between the two venues and 630 nautical exhibitors from 32 countries. It will host the first ever BCN Dive, dedicated to the underwater world, which will take place in pavilion 5 of Gran Via from the 4th to the 7th of November.
The organisers expect 16% more booked space in the Gran Via exhibition centre than in 2005 (60,000 to 70,000 m2 net). In Port Vell, the space is expected to practically the same (40,000 m2), between the land marquees and the space occupied by the on-water boats. The total area of the 2006 Boat Show will be 110,000 m2 net, a 10% increase and 630 exhibitors are expected to participate, a 5% increase.
The Gran Via exhibition centre will house all sports and recreational segments, occupying all 5 pavilions (2 more than the previous year) and the outdoor areas. Number 1 will exhibit accessories, canoes and kayaks, charters, sail boats, fun beach, sports marinas, sail making, windsurfing, nautical schools and shopping area. Number 2 will showcase inflatable boats and fishing cruisers, as well as launches, engines, jet skis, fishing and tugs. Pavilions 3 and 4 will be reserved for electronics and motor boats: and, lastly, number 5 will house the underwater sector in the first BCN Dive. The outdoor areas between the pavilions will exhibit all types of boats.
The Port Vell On-Water Show, which will be installed in the La Fusta and Espanya docks, will provide the setting for around 250 12-metre plus sailboats, motorboats and catamarans. The Barcelona Boat Show’s On-Water Show has become one of the most outstanding in Europe with the presence of spectacular boats and the representation of the leading national and international shipyards.
To date, La Fusta dock has bookings for 75 boats (sailboats and sailing/motor catamarans) and Espanya dock for around 155 motor yachts. The list of sail boat shipyard bookings includes the South African Southern Wind Shipyard, the Spanish North Wind Shipyard (with the new North Wind 68) and the English Oyster Marine. Motor boat confirmations include Rodriguez Group (with the spectacular Mangusta 130), Leopard (Leopard 32), and the Italian ship builders Fipa Italiana Yacht, Azimut Yachts, Ferreti and San Lorenzo, with their respective new models. In addition to the moored boats, the Port Vell docks will house around a hundred companies, owners of the exhibited boats, to attend to clients.
Port Vell will also set the scene for a Village in which companies from various sectors will be represented. The enclosure will have a restaurant and will be set up as a space to stage activities and attend to clients.
During the coming show, the Gran Via venue will provide the setting for business and also communication activities. The organisers have designed a total of 6 sectioned areas, which will facilitate product presentations and all types of activities, such as training courses, professional encounters, conferences, contests, race announcements, etc.
The 6 areas, which will be spread over all pavilions, are: Espai del Mar, Espai Vacances, Espai Fun Beach, Espai Innovacio, Espai Pesca and Espai BCN Dive. In the 2005 Boat Show 118 different events were programmed and 35 races announced. This year, the organisers aim to increase this figure.
This year’s Boat Show also aims to increase the presence of prestigious race professionals and navigators in the activities programme. The sailing world will also be well represented by leading international competitions, such as the America’s Cup and the Barcelona World Race. The latter will start in Barcelona’s Port Vell, coinciding with the 2007 Boat Show.
The Fun Beach Area will provide a casual beach atmosphere for surf and windsurfing exhibitors to showcase their products and organised activities designed for young people. Around this space in Pavilion1, there will be a swimming pool for activities and demonstrations with windsurf boards, canoes and kayaks.
In this year’s show, the organisers wish to increase the space dedicated to young boat designers and reinforce the presence of projects related to innovation as an element to boost sports and recreational boating. Innovamar will again collaborate in the management of the R&D&I space and the yacht design contest.
Lastly, highlights include the presence at the Boat Show of Valencia as this year’s guest Autonomous Community, the representation of the America’s Cup in the Gran Via exhibition centre, the announcement of international races, such as the Barcelona World Race, the Boat Show/MDY Innovation and Design Awards Ceremony, the David Doubilet underwater photography exhibition and the Nautical Tourism Workshops.
“Marina tradicional” is the name of the new area which is being incorporated in the coming Boat Show and which will feature historic boats, institutions and companies that oversee the recovery of maritime and river heritage. The area will be set up in the outdoor spaces of Fira de Barcelona`s Gran Via M2 exhibition centre and will house wooden sail, motor or rowing boats, which were used by fishermen and the merchant navy in times gone by. Visitors will be able to see Mediterranean boats fitted with lateen sails, rowing boats, Galician dornas (dories), the Basque traineras (sardine fishing boats) the jabegas (fishing boats) from Malaga, the larger “barques de mitjana”, the pailebotes (schooners) and even steam boats.
This space will show visitors all types of traditional boats and will also house institutions which promote their preservation in the different Autonomous Communities as well as companies and associations which organise cultural and leisure activities. The organisers expect the participation of the traditional sector with craftspersons and small traditional shipbuilders, thereby allowing visitors to see the effort made to recover this historic heritage. There will also be an activities programme which includes a meeting with representatives from the Administration and performances by traditional music groups which will play and sing sailor songs.
The International Boat Show of Barcelona is a trade show of Fira de Barcelona, the organiser of industrial and professional exhibitions in Spain and one of the most important in Europe in the number of events.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
