Diversifying visitors
The Paris Boat Show returned in December 2017 with a new formula and a new program: to bring more visitors and renew the boating population by diversifying practices. To do this, the organisation has launched many new features this year to make the visit easier and more fluid: a captain's office, sailing boats for free visits, my boat in practice... But also new areas to attract a new type of visitor - aspiring boaters? The Beach, Nautic Wave, Nautic Cinema..
A formula that is a success according to the figures given by the organisation at the end of the show. More than 200,000 visitors are estimated to have passed through the doors of the Nautic... However, apart from the two Saturdays, the show's aisles were not really crowded. Because of the increasingly wide aisles? In any case, some exhibitors deplored the attendance, but argued that the visitors were more qualified.
The Beach in the spotlight
In order to attract other visitors, the Nautic had put the emphasis on the beach and water sports... Thus, a very large part of Hall 1 was reserved for the "Beach" area... Volleyball court, beach tennis court, swimming pool for canoeing, paddle... a good idea, but one which considerably reduces the size of Hall 1, until then dedicated to sailing boats... Sailing boats, which see their hall shrink year after year, lost between board sports, rental companies, schools or even federations... However, once again, the idea of putting sailing boats on free visit was a good idea... So why sailing"? that makes the visitor dream more "sees his space shrink year by year? Without forgetting the stands of the major manufacturers where access was restricted, requiring registration before thinking of visiting a sailing boat?
Always many events
It is at the level of events that the Nautic is successful. Indeed, the Nautic Stage and the show itself are the venue for numerous award ceremonies (Transat Jacques Vabre, Mini Transat...), race presentations (The Multihull Trophy, Golden Globe Race...), Boat of the Year elections (Electric Boat of the Year award)... A recipe that continues to work and attract renowned skippers and visitors in search of dreams
There are many new motorboats, but where to find them?
This year, many new features were on display in the Motor Boat Halls. But once again, the signage to reach them left something to be desired... You had to walk through 4 halls (2.2, 2.3, 3 and 4) to discover the RIBs! Without forgetting the total absence of signs indicating Hall 4 (quickly solved by the organization) or the difficulty of access between the two halls (pass required).
How to relaunch the Paris Boat Show?
Disappointed exhibitors, visitors who are faced with a limited choice for sailing, a show qualified as regional... The Nautic is no longer what it used to be... However, it remains a key show for the yachting community when you know that the Ile de France remains the second administrative region of owner's residence (459 registrations for sailing / 2415 for motor in 2016) after Brittany (644) for sailing and after Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (2826) for motorboats.
The launches of the new products are now taking place in Düsseldorf, a European trade fair that exhibitors are eagerly awaiting for its international clientele and that visitors are equally eagerly awaiting for the diversity of the units on display.
Let us recall that in 2012/2013, Boot Düsseldorf had undertaken this same transformative reflection with results that are now convincing. "It's not instantaneous, because the boat show is a reflection of a market, of a flow. It's still important to have the time as a reference. We had to wait until 2015 for the German boat show to visually transform itself" said Yves-Lyon Caen, President of the Fédération des Industries Nautiques, at the pre-show conference of the 1 e december. We therefore hope for the same revival at the Paris Boat Show, whose organisation is full of good will to give the Nautic back its letters of nobility..
