2020 boat shows: Surviving and thriving

 

Here’s how 2020 boat shows adapted due to Covid.

The world’s largest 2020 boat shows have found innovative ways to adapt, offering video walkthroughs, virtual tours, and custom digital content. Read more.

photo @Dubai Boat Show

The pandemic has forced many of the world’s most significant events to adapt. Despite coronavirus, many 2020 boat shows have forged ahead, finding innovative ways to host shows, whilst still adhering to strict Covid-secure health and safety measures. From virtual showings, to in-person viewings and open houses, here’s how some of the biggest 2020 boat shows adapted and thrived this year.

@Palm Beach International Boat Show

Palm Beach International 2020 Boat Show

The Palm Beach International Boat Show was quick to respond to the current pandemic, hosting its 2020 boat show May 14. An entirely virtual event, the 2020 boat show was held some six weeks after the show was initially scheduled.

Guests were able to enjoy exclusive video walkthroughs, virtual tours, alongside custom digital content, all from the comfort of their home. Yacht brokers and yacht industry professionals were also available to chat virtually via FaceTime.

@Seattle Boats Afloat Show

Seattle Boats Afloat Show

The 2020 boat show Seattle Boats Afloat took place Sept. 18-20, offering a robust digital presence coupled with individual brokers’ open houses.

“Due to Covid-19 we have opted to continue the tradition of the show and transition into individual brokers’ open houses,” a rep for the Northwest Yacht Brokers Association said. “This will allow for social distancing and still provide the same benefits the in-water show has delivered to our attendees for over 40 years.”

The show utilised popular media platforms, including Facetime and Microsoft Teams, to host virtual showings, whilst live showings were held with a limited number of people allowed on each yacht to facilitate social distancing.

Guests could also attend the show virtually, offering the perfect opportunity for attendees to view superyacht sales without having to attend physically. The 2020 boat show also limited the amount of printed materials available, instead making use of QR codes which guests could scan and download information directly to their digital device.

@Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show

Fort Lauderdale International 2020 Boat Show

The Fort Lauderdale Boat Show 2020 is slated to be held Oct. 28 – Nov. 1. The five-day 2020 boat show is being marketed as the ultimate boat show experience, hosting some 1,000 exhibitors, and more than 1,300 boats on display across more than 90 acres. The boat show will also host several Fort Lauderdale yacht brokers, who will be on hand to showcase some of the world’s most luxurious yachts for sale and charter.

To ensure a safe event, organisers have released a video highlighting some of the key changes and safety measures at this year’s event. These include increased and widened entrances to allow people to enter and exit the boat show whilst maintaining social distancing, a contactless ticketing system, temperature checks at entry, widened docks, hygiene stations throughout the show, and enhanced deep cleaning. Additionally, guests aged two years and older, as well as exhibitors, will be required to wear a face covering.

The 2020 boat show is produced by Informa Markets, the world’s leading yacht show organiser.

An Informa press release said that the changes to FLIBS are “being implemented as a result of the group’s newly adopted All Secure health and safety standards and in coordination with the CDC, local government, and authorities.
The All Secure standards, which were introduced earlier this year, are organised into four key areas: Physical Distancing; Cleaning and Hygiene Countermeasures; Protection and Detection; and Communication.”

@Monaco Yacht Show

2020 boat shows and beyond

Another popular boat show being held this year is the Dubai International Boat Show. The 2020 boat show is scheduled to run from Nov. 24-28 at Dubai Harbour and is set to showcase a plethora of the world’s most exquisite superyachts up to 106-metres. Although organisers have not announced specific Covid secure measures that are in place, face coverings, social distancing, and hand sanitising stations are all the norm across the UAE state.

Other events planning to go ahead next year include the Miami Yacht Show, from Feb. 11-15, the MYBA Show in Barcelona, from April 26-29, and the Monaco Yacht Show, scheduled for Sept. 2021.

Whilst many organisers will be hoping to run next year’s boat shows under normal conditions, no doubt like the 2020 boat shows, they will be able to adapt if need be.

Spirit 111: Explore one of the most sustainable yachts on the water today. The interiors are simply stunning

    Spirit 111 sloop-rigged yacht is one of the most environmentally friendly sailing superyachts ever created. Spirit 111 – this sloop-rigged yacht is the largest single-masted wooden sailing yacht to be built in the UK. Showcasing the Spirit 111 under sail and revealing her unique interior is a real milestone for Spirit Yachts. Spirit … Read more

The first luxury marina in Hong Kong in decades is nearing completion

    The perfect place to experience a more tranquil side of Hong Kong. Hong Kong has famously suffered from a shortage of berths, particularly for superyachts, for years. This new luxury Marina will be a world-class facility dedicated to serving the growing sailing and pleasure boating community in the region. Lantau Yacht Club is … Read more

Monaco Yacht Show Superyacht Awards 2019: The 3 awe-inspiring superyachts that stood above the competition

    Last Friday, four awards were presented at the sixth edition of the Monaco Yacht Show Superyacht Awards Ceremony, held at the Yacht Club de Monaco. The 350 guests celebrated the winning new luxury vessels that made their world debut at the 2019 Monaco Yacht Show. Three awe-inspiring superyachts, selected from 18 candidates, stood … Read more

The world’s largest in water boat show just got bigger: FLIBS 2019 is sailing into its 60th anniversary

 

 

Sailing into its 60th anniversary with unique activations, new experiences and an additional location, the world’s largest in-water boat show just got bigger. The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (October 30 – November 3, 2019), called #FLIBS for short, is the largest in-water boat show in the world, attracting a global audience of approximately 100,000 boating enthusiasts.

Flibs gallery
@flibs.com

The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (FLIBS), with its ever-expanding fleet of superyachts, sport fishing vessels, go-fast boats, submersibles, and everything in between, will soon be pulling into port. Besides a flotilla of over-the-top vessels from a Mansion Yacht made entirely of stainless steel, to the largest mega-yacht in the show, known as“Excellence,” this year’s show is guaranteed to make a splash.

Generating a substantial annual statewide economic impact of $857 million, FLIBS features nearly $4 billion in product with show sales exceeding $508 million. Located in the “Yachting Capital of the World” and recognized as the pinnacle of all nautical exhibitions, this year’s show will feature over 1,500 boats and 1,200 exhibitors, with more than 110,000 visitors from around the world expected to attend.

Flibs gallery-2018
@flibs.com
Flibs gallery-011
@flibs.com

Here’s what’s new at this year’s 2019 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.

SuperYacht Village Overview
2019 FLIBS’ SuperYacht Village Overview; @flibs.com
  • Commemorating 60 years FLIBS is set to unveil the new Superyacht Village, an enclave for superyachts and superyacht enthusiasts featuring the most spectacular yachts in the show. With a new dedicated marina and on land exhibition space spanning 3.5 acres, Superyacht Village can accommodate yachts measuring up to 400 feet and will feature exhibits by renowned shipyards and yacht toys, including helicopters, personal submarines, exotic and collectible automotive, and other luxury items to showcase the superyacht lifestyle.
  • With six pre-existing locations, this year’s show will debut a seventh site located at Pier Sixty -Six Hotel & Marina’s new “Pier South” property. Adding to the magnitude of the show, the new location will expand the exhibition space to a total of 3 million square feet, all connected by an intricate network of water and ground transportation services. The new “Pier South” property will host this year’s Superyacht Village.
  •  The Windward VIP Club – presented by Delta Private Jets, the Official Private Jet Carrier of FLIBS, in partnership with Ulysse Nardin, the Official Timekeeper of FLIBS – will have a spectacular new in-water location anchored in the heart of the show on the main dock at Bahia Mar. Providing a unique setting to enjoy the excitement of this international boating spectacular, the new in-water VIP experience will feature an arched tent with outdoor terraces for shore and water views as well as a luxury premium open bar and gourmet food offerings and a Cigar Lounge presented by Delta Private Jets.
    MansionYachts 2019
    @mansionyachts.com/

    A luxurious place to network and lounge, the Windward VIP Club provides exclusive experiences, including a variety of wine tastings, the show’s signature Gosling’s Rum Dark & Stormy Island Bar, and intimate events by Delta Private Jets and Ulysse Nardin.

  • Mansion Yacht, the first yacht made entirely of stainless steel with spectacular indoor and outdoor decks that soar high above the entire show, will be docked behind the Windward VIP Club for exclusive guests to enjoy. Measuring 84 feet in length and 40feet across, the Mansion Yacht is not only unique insight, but also in build; the megayacht has four 18- foot hydraulic legs with a lifting capacity of a million pounds each, which allows the yacht to stand up in the water (up to 15 feet in the air in three feet of water). Encompassing 9,000 square feet overall, the mansion yacht features a 20ft elevated 2,300 square- foot furnished deck for breathtaking panoramic water views. Tours and events at the Mansion Yacht are by invitation only.

    Abeking & Rasmussen Excellence megayacht 2019
    Abeking & Rasmussen Excellence megayacht 2019; @Abeking & Rasmussen
  • Measuring 262 feet, Excellence, launched by Abeking & Rasmussen and designed by Winch Design, is the newest super yacht in the show and will be on display at the Superyacht Village. Perfect for indulgent relaxation, the mega yacht features a swimming pool, a Jacuzzi, a sprawling beach club, and impressive custom limousine tenders. With its debut in May, the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show marks only the second appearance for this superyacht masterpiece, which brings forward a new era in superyacht design.
  • The Sunset Soiree, Second Annual Best Yacht Chef Competition will take place on Friday, Nov. 1 at 7:00pm. Theyacht chef showdown, held in the new Superyacht Village, will be sizzling with excitement. Competing for the Best Yacht Chef title, some of the world’s leading yacht chefs will battle it out in this gastronomic competition.

 

  • NBC Sports Group will once again feature a one-hour network special providing a behind-the-scenes and insider’s view of the 60th annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. The program, which will air on the NBC Sports Network, will highlight the show’s magnitude, extraordinary yachts and vessels, luxurious lifestyle attractions and VIP events. The NBC Sports program will also reveal the second-ever “Best of Show” award presented to the most innovative new boat model design on display as selected by a panel of independent esteemed judges.
    Flibs from Above
    @flibs.com
    Lurssen Madsummer mega-yacht will celebrate her world debut at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.
    @Lurssen Madsummer mega-yacht will celebrate her world debut at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.;
    Flibs gallery-2018-
    @flibs.com

2019 Monaco Yacht Show Superyacht Awards to distinguish four spectacular luxury vessels

      The world’s most jaw-dropping superyachts to be presented at the MYS Superyacht Awards Ceremony. On the eve of the 2019 Monaco Yacht Show, the 6th annual edition of the show’s Superyacht Awards Ceremony will distinguish four spectacular luxury yachts that will make their world debut in Monaco. The ceremony will be hosted … Read more