Showcasing the future of Yachting

The organisers of the Genoa Boat Show report a record-breaking edition in 2024, staged in their newly redeveloped, purpose-built show ground

The Genoa International Boat Show marked its 64th year in 2023 with a global showcase dedicated to the pinnacle of yachting. Staged by the Italian Marine Industry Association, it can claim to be the largest marine industry event on the Mediterranean. From 19-24 September, the Boat Show once again transformed the ancient maritime city of Genoa and its stunning newly redeveloped waterfront into the world capital of yachting, devoted to promoting the sustainable future of the industry.

Effectively five boat shows in one, the Boat Show is spread across 220,000m2 of exhibition area on land and sea (5,000 more than in 2023), of which 85 percent is outdoors. Genoa offers something for all, not just sailing and motorboats of all sizes up to breathtaking superyachts but also components, equipment, services and accessories for every segment of the industry – a unique strong point of the Italian trade fair. Having long since surpassed the threshold of a thousand brands and boats on display (this year rising to 1,052 and 1,030 respectively) the layout allowed for an engaging visitor experience in a seamless exhibition with more than 100 new products on display and 30 world premieres.

As most of the Italian exhibitors are members of the organising industry association, the Genoa International Boat Show is essentially run by the industry for itself, which sets Genoa apart. This business-focused approach has increased the ease and availability of sea trials (3,855 during the Boat Show). Initiatives with the Italian Trade Agency promote Italian companies on the global stage via delegations of international buyers and members of the press. In just six days, 1,154 accredited journalists were registered and 2,416 articles were published.

A record-breaking edition, with over 120,000 visitors from across the globe, the 64th Genoa International Boat Show was a celebration of the industry’s future, spearheading the sustainable solutions that will define it. In a programme of seminars, conferences and workshops devoted to technical and sustainable innovation, best practice for an effective green transition took centre stage.

‘The Genoa Boat Show features a full calendar of conferences and conventions to discuss and explore today’s driving factors with national and international experts and stakeholders,’ says Marina Stella, the Italian Marine Industry Association’s general manager. ‘The Show’s prestige is also attested by the European Commission's patronage of our Forum events programme.’

A high point was the third World Yachting Sustainability Forum, held by the Italian Marine Industry Association in collaboration with IBI magazine. Moderated by IBI editor in chief Ed Slack, speakers included representatives of leading brands such as Ferretti Group, Beneteau Group, Sanlorenzo Yacht and Volvo Penta, alongside the certifying body RINA Services and renowned yacht designer Dan Lenard, all of whom came together to discuss how Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) regulations impact yachting and the challenges that the yachting sector is facing in terms of sustainability.

In view of its tangible commitment to the environment, the Genoa Boat Show was also awarded the ISO 20121 certification for sustainable event design. Maurizio Grosso, the Show's technical and sustainability director, emphasised how ‘in following this path, the Italian Marine Industry Association adopted the Sustainability Honour Code in 2020, which was shared with exhibitors and all those involved in the process of organising and setting up the Genoa Boat Show, a standard that has become an international benchmark for our industry. In this 64th edition, we wanted to design an event increasingly adhering to sustainability standards, setting ourselves the goal of achieving ISO20121 Certification for the organisation of sustainable events’.

Above: a raised view inside the show’s main indoor arena, the Blue Pavilion

Sustainable innovation was also at the heart of the evening events surrounding the 64th Genoa Boat Show, particularly during the Design Innovation Award ceremony, having guided the jury’s motivations celebrating the cutting edge of yachting design. First established in 2020 by the Italian Marine Industry Association, this prestigious award celebrates excellence in research, innovation, and sustainability across the yachting world. The jury, which was chaired for the second year running by Maria Porro, president of Milan’s Design and Furniture Show, the Salone del Mobile, awarded 10 categories along with special prizes for outstanding innovation and outstanding career, having selected products that stood out the most for their originality, sustainability and social impact.

Marina Stella commented on the award’s focus on products ‘that stand out for cutting-edge technological solutions, innovative design and sustainable materials, helping to shape the future of yachting.’ Having quickly become an essential international event, the award promotes the image of the Genoa International Boat Show’s many exhibitors with their latest products, acknowledging designs that express emerging trends and new design frontiers.

In line with its commitment to promote the future of yachting, this year the Genoa International Boat Show gave 12 promising start-ups the chance to be showcased on a global platform, in collaboration with the Italian Trade Agency.

Alessandro Gianneschi, vice-president of the Italian Marine Industry Association, emphasised the importance of shining ‘a global spotlight on a number of start-ups innovating everything from boat maintenance to equipment and smart devices.’ The selected start-ups were reserved a dedicated area in the Tech Trade section of the Boat Show’s Blue Pavilion.

Every year the Genoa Boat Show focuses heavily on the economic future of the sector, providing in-depth analyses, insightful seminars and key data throughout, starting with the traditional Boating Economic Forecast, when the latest edition of the Nautica in Cifre LOG, (“Yachting in Figures”) is presented. This is a statistical yearbook produced by the Italian Marine Industry Association’s Market Intelligence and Research Department in partnership with the Edison Foundation, and with the patronage of the Italian Ministry of Infrastructures and Transport.

‘Yachting continues to be a solid sector throughout 2023, continuing its rate of responsive growth that has characterised these post-pandemic years,’ says Andrea Razeto, president of the organising company I Saloni Nautici. ‘The industry's turnover has in fact reached an all-time high of €8.33 billion, which corresponds exactly to a one-billion increase compared with that in 2022. This 13.6 percent gain follows the already substantial 20 percent growth achieved in 2022.’

As for the impact of the Italian yachting sector on the labour market, the actual number of people employed in 2023 rose to 30,690, which again is a significant increase of about 7 percent.

Above: the Genoa Boat Show’s top brass receive their ISO certificate for sustainable show design from RINA

‘In 2023, Italy retained its leadership as the world's number one exporting country in the shipbuilding sector, accounting for 19.3 percent of world exports; this is the largest share ever recorded by our country,’ says Professor Marco Fortis, director and vice president of the Edison Foundation. ‘Thanks to an export rate of 90 percent, Italian production of new yachting units confirms its world leadership in the superyacht segment, accounting for more than half of global orders. The same can be said for the large inflatable boat segment and that of components and equipment’.

Equally stellar achievements from the sailing world were also given ample space to be celebrated, with events featuring Paris 2024 gold medallist Marta Maggetti and fourtime Olympic medallist Alessandra Sensini (one gold, one silver and two bronze), now the federal youth technical director for the Italian Sailing Federation. One panel was dedicated to Marta’s recent Paris gold and the six golds she won at the Junior World Championships in July. Another event saw two-time gold medallist Caterina Banti take centre stage. Alongside Ruggero Tita, also present at the Genoa Boat Show, Caterina represents one of the world’s most successful Nacra 17 crews with achievements including four European titles, three World titles, an Olympic gold medal at Tokyo 2020, followed by another gold at Paris 2024.

Even the Genoa Boat Show’s venue was a clear sign of the future-oriented vision that defined this year’s edition. The Waterfront di Levante redevelopment project, conceived by superstar architect Renzo Piano, has seen the area entirely redesigned, creating the world’s first ever purpose-built boat show location, emphasising the city’s commitment to elevating Genoa to the world’s number one industry event. Entering the show, visitors now follow a new route through Genoa’s recently rebuilt indoor sports arena, soon to be a second circular pavilion in addition to the show’s already iconic Blue Pavilion. The route opens up onto a raised platform overlooking the vast network of piers under the towering glass gaze of new residential and office buildings.

Most importantly the sea gives tangible meaning to this edition’s slogan “Made of Sea”. This becomes clear to visitors when they traverse the new canals created to allow the sea to flow through the show, transforming the Blue Pavilion into an island, making the guiding phrase truer than ever.

With booming turnover, exports and jobs, Italian yachting continues its leading role in the global market and Genoa mirrors these results perfectly, having closed with another record-breaking number of visitors: 120,864 (+2.19 percent on 2023). Pairing this with the increase in boats, brands and a 24 percent leap in sea trials, the 64th Genoa International Boat Show proved to be another triumphant celebration of yachting and its future.

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