"We will continue to do what was planned and show that we are not afraid" explained Umberto Capelli in Paris. Alain Pichavant, Commissioner General of the Nautic de Paris, during an interview . And the program is respected since the Paris boat show opens its doors today (to professionals only).
The attacks, the Cop21 or the difficult traffic conditions did not overwhelm the 800 exhibitors at the Nautic de Paris. Despite the gloomy climate after the attacks of 13 November, the high mass of pleasure boating will be well below the 130,000 m2 of exhibition space. Only 7 exhibitors cancelled their presence at the show, including 6 foreigners France at war, it doesn't really encourage foreigners to come." explained Yves Lyon-Caen, President of the Fédération des Industries Nautiques, at yesterday's pre-salon press conference.
Transporting the boats to the show was not easy either. Even though the largest units reached the capital on 24 November, Monday 30 November, the A1 had to be closed due to the Cop21.
But finally, all these people were able to reach the show on time, and for a week now, the halls have been swarming... Yesterday, the stands finished their installations (when some of them started) to be able to welcome the press (this Friday 4 December) and the first visitors, this Saturday 5 December. And there was a lot of work to do!
To reassure visitors, security has been enhanced with metal detectors, palpation or searches, as well as the presence of police dogs. The Nautic de Paris is a festive event, which should allow people to take their minds off things and enjoy a good time.
A declining audience?
Despite all these security measures, the President of the FIN expects a decrease in attendance. Because the Nautic of Paris is taking place at the same time as Cop21, and this weekend (5-6 December) will be the weekend of the regional elections. Without counting on heavy traffic, the French prefer to use their vehicles rather than public transport. As a reminder, last year, the show had 222,000 admissions.
"Our world is extremely sensitive to the climate, the French are gradually returning to a normal life and nothing is better than a festive event to recover from a life that has been disrupted" concluded Yves Lyon-Caen yesterday.
