The 64th edition of the Genoa International Boat Show begins today (19 September 2024), running until Tuesday (24 September 2024). The event, Italy’s premier boat show and one of the largest such events in the Mediterranean, is expecting to draw up to 120,000 visitors and is displaying 1,052 brands and 1,030 boats along its pontoons this year.

This year, new features at the Genoa International Boat Show include the Palasport indoor sports arena, a notable building in Genoa, now renovated under the direction of architect Renzo Piano.

Some spaces have been left unoccupied to accommodate ongoing work on the Waterfront di Levante area, previously known as the Fiera del Mare, ensuring uninterrupted visitor flow throughout the exhibition. The layout spans 220,000 square metres of exhibition space, both on land and water, with 85 per cent of the areas located outdoors — 5,000 square metres more than in 2023.

There is an increase in international exhibitors this year, with 23 more in the production sector alone, and over 100 new products will be on display, including 30 premieres. Online ticket sales have also risen by 16 per cent compared to the same time in 2023, according to organisers Salone Nautico.

Genoa Boat Show 2024

Some key global premiers set for the show include the world premiere of the Apreamare Maestro 88 and Italian premiere of the Apreamare Gozzo 38 Cabin. Italian builder Cantiere Mimì hosts the global premiere of its Libeccio 9.5 Cabin at Genoa. Lomac Milano shipyard is holding the world premiere of the new GranTurismo 10.5, while Maxim Yachts introduces its Neo 43 Race and Neo 43 Comfort for the first time globally.

After its recent global launch in Cannes, Sunseeker showcases the Predator 55 model in Genoa along with the Predator 65 and 88 Yacht. Sacs Tecnorib will also hold the Italian premieres of the all-new Pirelli 50 Mansory, the flagship of the Pirelli Speedboats collection. Sanlorenzo introduces the show premieres of its SL86A and SP92, as part of a nine-strong fleet.

Today’s proceedings kicked off with the attendance of senior Italian officials, including Ignazio La Russa, president of the Italian Senate, and Matteo Salvini, deputy prime minister and minister for infrastructures and transport. The opening conference, titled “Sea Policy: Charting New Courses for Italy’s Competitiveness, An Outlook for the Yachting Industry”, included an address by Adolfo Urso, Italy’s Minister for Business and Made in Italy Production.

At 2:30pm, the Boating Economic Forum will present market trends and data on the yachting industry. The presentation will be delivered by the Italian Marine Industry Association’s Market Intelligence and Research Department in cooperation with the Edison Foundation, offering insights into the latest developments in the sector.

The opening ceremony included a tribute to Italian Olympic champions Marta Magetti, gold medallist in the iQFOiL class, and Francesco Bocciardo, gold medallist in the 200-metre freestyle S5 category, recognising their achievements during the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Genoa Boat Show from above

Today’s other events include a session on Yachting, Tax and Customs at 3:45 pm. The Eberhard & Co. Theatre will host events on the America’s Cup at 2:00pm and 4:00pm, and a press conference by the Italian Harbour Offices at 3:00pm. In the VIP Lounge at 6:30pm, Giovanni Grasso will present his novel as part of the Bitta64 cultural programme.

On Monday (23 September), European Boating Industry (EBI), in partnership with Confindustria Nautica, will host the second European Sustainable Boating Roundtable at the Genoa show. The round table, titled Achieving Greener Boating and Nautical Tourism by 2030, will feature key speakers, including MEP Daniel Attard and industry experts, discussing sustainability in tourism, industry growth, and EU priorities for the next five years. Building on the success of the 2023 event, the roundtable aims to further dialogue on sustainability and innovation within the sector. Registration is open to all interested participants.

Stay informed about upcoming boat shows and marine events scheduled for the coming months.

The post Genoa Boat Show kicks off with increase in international exhibitors appeared first on Marine Industry News.