After the first yachts had already been lifted ashore by Big Willi - many of which had a long journey on their own keel behind them - the state government in North Rhine-Westphalia announced its decision yesterday evening not to authorise any major events in January. This inevitably includes boot, which was planned to take place from 22 to 30 January 2022.
It had already been clear for weeks that boot would be reduced in size in 2022. Due to the rising incidence of the coronavirus pandemic, the major Italian shipyards and companies such as Hanseyachts AG and Groupe Beneteau had long since cancelled the participation of their numerous brands in the trade fair. Others, however, especially the trade fair management, held on to their participation until the very end. At the beginning of December, they were still firmly convinced that nothing would stand in the way of the trade fair taking place.
However, the rising corona figures in December and the wave of coronavirus expected by experts, which is expected to sweep across Germany after the holidays in mid-January, made even the most optimistic exhibitor look to the coming weeks with concern. But at some point, exhibitors had to get their ships and exhibition stands on their way and invest money in them. In view of the global coronavirus pandemic and new quarantine requirements for visitors and exhibitors from virus variant areas, many wondered whether the trade fair would have to be cancelled at short notice after all.
