"Boot Düsseldorf makes a new start. Watersports trade fair makes a successful comeback" is the headline of the trade fair organiser's latest press release, citing figures: More than 1,500 exhibitors met almost 237,000 visitors from over 100 countries in 16 exhibition halls. Three years of forced closure due to the pandemic could not have affected the event.
"Despite the challenging conditions, boot 2023 has been a success story. We could never have dreamed of such a positive result. boot has regained its calm waters and is firmly anchored in its Düsseldorf home harbour. This successful return has shown that trade fairs 'made in Düsseldorf' have international appeal," says Exhibition Director Wolfram Diener.
boot Düsseldorf boss Petros Michelidakis adds: "The discussions with the exhibitors were incredibly good, viewing appointments on the boats were fully booked, and the companies reported a large number of boat and accessory sales." Michelidakis emphasises the international nature of the trade fair: In addition to visitors from all over Germany, experts from the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, France, the UK, Turkey and Spain in particular used the trade fair to find out about the latest innovations from the industry.
In 2020, there were still around 250,000 visitors and over 1900 exhibitors. On top of that, large unused areas and wide aisles in the halls initially painted a pessimistic picture, but this quickly changed.
The positive mood was already evident on the first weekend of the fair, when the "European Powerboat Awards" were presented as part of the Flagship Night.
"Expectations far exceeded"
The industry heavyweights were also delighted: Beneteau spokesperson Luc Joessel: "Boot 2023 was really good for Beneteau. We were very eager and excited to be exhibiting here again and had over 20 boats on display in three halls. The good news is that our customers were just as excited, we were very impressed with the quantity and quality of potential customers at our stands. They came from all over Europe.
Joessel's colleague Vanessa Clairgeaux from sister shipyard Jenneau: "The 2023 edition of boot Düsseldorf was very positive for us with a lot of commercial activity, especially in the 27-foot and above powerboats and 40-foot and above sailboats. We were pleasantly surprised by the continuous flow of visitors from all over Europe, which shows that there is still interest in water sports. Congratulations to the organisers for once again putting on the world's best indoor show."
Satisfaction also among the outfitters at boot Düsseldorf. Peter Kohlhoff, importer and wholesaler for deck equipment and steering systems: "From our point of view, the trade fair was very interesting and was great fun again after the forced break. We were struck by the great interest on all days, it seemed to me like in the 2000s, when the flow of visitors never stopped. Another thing that struck me was the large number of foreign visitors from Holland, France, Italy and overseas. We had quite a few visitors from Australia and the USA.
Meinrad Hiller, Managing Director of the fittings manufacturer and multi-brand dealer Pfeiffer Marine, essentially confirms this: "Our expectations were far exceeded! In terms of numbers and quality, there were a lot of good visitors! A good start to 2023!"
Sustainability as a trade fair theme
According to the trade fair company, the new sustainability forum "blue innovation dock", where industry, politics and international associations met for dialogue, also attracted a great deal of attention. Philip Easthill, Secretary General of the Association of the European Boating Industry/Brussels, sums up the nine-day programme very positively: "It was a great success for the trade fair and has opened up a fascinating new perspective for a sustainable future for the boating industry. The presence of over 110 high-calibre speakers, from CEOs to political decision-makers, underlines the importance of sustainability for water sports. The industry has already made great strides in the development of sustainable materials, propulsion systems and marinas, and we will be able to support them intensively in the future with the 'blue innovation dock'."
The next boot Düsseldorf will take place from 20 to 28 January 2024.
