The Genoa International Boat Show: 65 years of history
The Genoa International Boat Show has witnessed a significant evolution over the last few editions, consolidating its prominent position on the global boating scene. The 64th edition saw over 1,052 brands take part and 1,030 boats on display, with a plethora of new products and world premieres. The event has benefited from the progress achieved by the Levante Waterfront redevelopment project, with the completion of innovative new spaces on the water and ashore, adding an additional 5,000 square metres of exhibition area and berths. The event showcased its commitment to innovation and sustainability, featuring over 100 new items and 30 premieres that reflected the boating industry’s focus on eco-friendly solutions.
The Genoa International Boat Show continues to demonstrate its central role as a global platform for institutional, technical and market-related dialogue, attracting professionals and enthusiasts from all over the world. The Italian boating industry has shown steady growth, with turnover reaching an all-time high of €8.33 billion in 2023, highlighting the sector’s vitality and competitiveness. Ahead of the 65th edition, scheduled to be held in Genoa from 18th to 23rd September, the Genoa Boat Show continues to represent an essential event for the international boating market and enthusiasts, consolidating Italy’s role as a leader in the sector.
1962
The Genoa International Boat Show is born
The Genoa International Boat Show became a reality on 7th January 1962. An event dedicated to Italian yachting and the only Italian show to be part of the international circuit. In Genoa, back in 1956, the Ente Fiera di Genova was founded, with the mandate to organise “trade fairs related to maritime, river and lake communications, aerial communications and telecommunications”. The first president of the Show was Giuseppe De Andrè, father of industry-defining singer-songwriter Fabrizio De Andrè. He had previously held office as deputy mayor of Genoa before taking on this role. As for the Genoa Boat Show itself, in order to take shape the first step was to build its trademark pavilions.
Construction of Pavilions began in 1959, making rapid progress in time for January 27th 1962, when the 1st edition of the Genoa International Boat Show opened its doors to the world. 430 exhibitors joined the event from 18 countries, of which 254 Italians and 176 from overseas (including brands from the UK, which, at the time, were the global point of reference with its own London Boat Show). The boats were exhibited in the recently built while, in the Darsena, there was only one motoryacht showcased: a 14.50-metre long Giannutri by Cantieri Picchiotti in Viareggio. This was the only boat to actually be displayed outdoors as exhibitors at the time were unwilling to place their units on the water: the reason for this was exhibitors believed their boats would get dirty in the water and appear smaller when viewed from the quay. Instead, perched on their slipways, they appeared comparatively larger. Sailing boats included the Alpa line and its fibreglass hulls, from the small Flying Junior to the Alpa 8; motorboats featured hulls by Italcraft, a shipyard first founded in 1955 and focused on speed; the first RIBs were on display, referred to by some as soft boats, flying the flags of Pirelli, Gamma and Zodiac. However, above all else, this first edition represented a starting point for future events. Since then, the Genoa Boat Show has continued to stand out as a key event for enthusiasts. The second edition, held in 1963, saw the use of two additional Pavilions for exhibitors.
1966
The turning point
1964 marked an important milestone, with the entry of the Genoa Boat Show into the I.F.B.S.O. (International Federation of Boat Show Organisers). However, 1966 marked the true turning point: the Boat Show passed under the aegis of UCINA Confindustria Nautica, the non-profit national association that represented the industries and businesses across the yachting sector. In addition, a successful partnership was established with the Düsseldorf Boot event. From this moment on, the Genoa International Boat Show became an essential hub for business development and promoting international relations throughout the industry. The event sees the inclusion of roundtables, conferences, sports presentations and glamorous events, asserting itself as a “Blue carpet” occasion that every year unites the yachting world and everything around it.
1980 - 2018
The Genoa International Boat Show expands
In the 1980s, the Genoa Boat Show continued to grow as it gained new display spaces on the sea and only accelerated in the following decade.
The crisis that recently struck the Italian economy, and with it the yachting sector, the roots of which go beyond that of 2008, required an even greater level of commitment, which UCINA Confindustria Nautica was quick to provide, managing to steer the Genoa Boat Show successfully through the economic storm. The idea of relaunching the industry became a shining beacon that lit the way for all the hard work and resources put in place, never losing sight of the objective to create recovery and growth.
In 2014 the Genoa International Boat Show became the most popular show on the Mediterranean, with over 100,000 visitors and more than 750 exhibitors. The involvement of the press was significant and effective, with approximately 1,500 journalists from all over the world.
For five consecutive years, the yachting sector, the flagship industry of the Made in Italy brand, saw nothing but double-digit growth.
2018 marked the first official visit of a President of the Italian Republic to the Genoa Boat Show, with the presence of President Sergio Mattarella.
2020
The only industry event in Europe to take place in person during the year of the pandemic
In 2020, during the complex context of the Covid-19 healthcare emergency, the 60th Genoa International Boat Show, organised by the Italian Marine Industry Association, represented a truly unique Show as it was the only event in Europe to take place in person, thanks to an innovative organisational approach that favoured effectiveness and quality of contacts for exhibitors, recording a strong presence of a qualified and business-oriented audience of visitors. A shining example of safety and organisation, the event was the natural outcome of supporting companies in a sector suffering its most critical moment on a global scale. This inspired the economy’s recovery and turned the world’s spotlight on the event and on the city of Genoa.
2020 was an interesting Summer, with a large number of Italians discovered the joys of yachting. This led to a positive season for the industry: in the context of the healthcare emergency, a yachting holiday was rightly perceived as a safer option: no public gatherings and perfect for social distancing. This affected all market segments. And so the 60th Genoa International Boat Show represented a strategic moment for the consolidation of these results. It allowed the public to enjoy a full display of what the international industry had to offer and allowed exhibitors to measure and satisfy market demand. The following year, the 61st Genoa Boat Show was the industry’s point of reference, as stated in its successful communication campaign.
Stepping into the future
The three-year period from 2022 to 2024 marked a strategic phase of growth for the Genoa International Boat Show, coinciding with the development of the Levante Waterfront project and a consistent rise in the event’s international relevance.
In 2023, the 63rd edition recorded 118,269 visitors, a 13.9% increase compared to 2022, more than 1,043 brands on display (+4.5%), over 1,000 boats, and 184 new productsand premieres, confirming the dynamic nature of the boating industry. The 143 new berths, resulting from the expansion of the Show’s waterways, enhanced the layout and made it possible for an impressive 3,190 sea trials to take place. The event received extraordinary institutional attention with the official visit by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, along with numerous ministers, and the participation of leading Italian industry figures.
In 2024, the 64th edition further strengthened the event’s positive trend, closing with 120,864 visitors (+2.19%), 1,052 brands, 1,030 boats, and an exhibition area of 220,000 square metres. The number of sea trials rose to 3,855 (+24% compared to 2023), with more than 100 new products and 30 premieres presented. The redeveloped exhibition venue garnered the approval of 8 out of 10 exhibitors. A key moment was the approval of new legislative measures supporting the boating industry – including the introduction of a boating licence for 16-year-olds and a new professional title for chartering – which consolidated the Genoa Boat Show’s role as a platform for institutional and regulatory debate for the benefit of the sector.
