SATISFACTORY BALANCE OF THE 42ND BARCELONA BOAT SHOW WHICH HAS CLOSED ITS MOST INTERNATIONAL EDITION The 2003 Barcelona International Boat Show, organised by Fira de Barcelona, closed with a very satisfactory balance in terms of the development of what has been its most complete and international edition. 168,000 persons visited the event, an increase on the 165,000 visitors last year.
Throughout the 9-day event in Fira de Barcelona's Vía M2 exhibition centre and in the Port Vell facilities (On-Water Exhibition), the Show was a major trade platform which manifested the high growth potential of the nautical sector in Spain. The growing interest aroused by the Barcelona Boat Show on an international level was also patent with the presence of a large number of foreign exhibitors and visitors and various groups of associations of nautical industries from different countries, such as Holland, Finland, Turkey and Great Britain, which expressed their wish to increase their presence at future Boat Shows with international pavilions. With the participation of 500 nautical sports and recreation exhibitors from 32 countries, the 42nd Boat Show was also a real debate forum, in which issues affecting the sector were reviewed, and the setting for numerous professional encounters, courses and seminars, some of which had a Europe dimension. For the first time, coinciding with the Boat Show, the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) held its annual conference in Barcelona. At the same time, the event was a meeting point for major protagonists of nautical sports with the announcement of 26 important national and international races. Sportspersons of the highest level from the Federación Española de Vela and Agua Brava also attended as part of the pre-Olympic team of the 2004 Athens Games. During the Show, in addition to the sailing courses, Port Vell also provided the setting for the Proam Snipe and Copa de las Autonomías-Boat Show Trophy races. Not forgetting the importance it places on design, the Show was also the scene for the presentation of the "Nereida" boat project, developed by a multi-disciplinary team from the Elisava School. The availability of the Boat Show's two venues made it possible to make the exhibition of products from all nautical sectors compatible with the 130 large boats displayed in Port Vell. With a 30 percent increase in the number of models exhibited, the International on-Water Show brought large yachts within the reach of all interested parties. Port Vell was very lively and many people visited the two venues to see all the products presented at the Barcelona Show, which featured around 1,600 boats of all kinds. Visitors to this year's Boat Show highlighted the quality and quantity of the proposals and showed interest in the new products presented by manufacturers of motor and sail boats, inflatables, fishing vessels, launches, cruisers, engines, windsurfing, accessories, etc. In general, they were seen to be connoisseurs of the product, many of whom had intentions to make a purchase. It is a known fact that 70 percent of sales recorded in the sector's market throughout the year start out at the Boat Show. The 42nd Barcelona Boat Show has very firmly consolidated this international event as a benchmark exhibition for nautical sports and recreation, registered as one of the leading boat shows in Europe. Barcelona, 14th November 2003
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