August 1, 2012

Genova Boat Show

I have always been a keen supporter to this Italian boat show, who is also one of the largest in the World, and offering a wide variety of boats thanks also to the competitive nature of the Italian boating market. In fact I have been to the show in five past occasions; 1995, 1997, 1999, 2000, and 2004.  If you ask me what boat show to visit, I would definitely put Genoa on top of the list. In its fifty plus years of history though I think the next edition will be the most difficult to handle for the show, and the organizers.
First of all we have already some important companies who announced are gonna miss this years edition.  So far I know two big Italian builders who announced they are gonna skip this years Genoa boat show; Cranchi and Sessa.  Others like Queen Yachts have also shown not to participate at the show, as the new 50 Fly model seems not to be presented at the show.  Very interesting in all this was also the Sessa press letter where the company says that in the current status of the Italian government stance on yachts, add new tax introduced in May participating in Genoa is not very fruitful. 
From my personal view point I also add but with sadness that Genoa does deserve what happening here.  The show increased its exhibition fees in both 2008 and 2009, and the incentive for visitors to visit have not been very good.  I still as at today cannot understand how a one hundred miles distance hotel to the show, can charge triple or quadruple during the exhibition nine days.
For one of the largest shows to succeed and survive at this moment in time, Genoa has to return to think with a competitive edge something it did a lot in the nineties, and also remember that those visiting the show are not all millionaires. 
I add that this thinking should also come to the services part of the industry, which especially in the Med in the last years had no respect to the end user duplicating and triplicating fees in matters of some time.  Yes berthing and yards fees are surely the main to blame in this!

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