THE Sydney International Boat Show closed this week having enjoyed five glorious sunny days at the International Convention Centre Sydney and the Show’s purpose-built marina on Cockle Bay, Darling Harbour. Visitors to the show were treated to a broad offering that highlighted the diversity of recreational boating, and the ease by which people of all ages and abilities can participate.
There were also some exciting new releases…see the gallery above for four of them.
Darren Vaux, President of the Boating Industry Association Ltd (BIA), owners and organisers of the event, said “boating appeals and is accessible to people from all walks of life. This year’s show has demonstrated that. We’re very pleased with the diversity of the offering and the quality of the displays for our guests to enjoy.”
The event delivered numerous memorable moments. Friday’s official function bought together many of the industry’s leaders and stakeholders. Parliamentary Secretary Eleni Petinos provided an update on the Government’s latest activities and announced a new personal watercraft campaign due for release later in the year, while BIA President Darren Vaux delivered a compelling insight into the shifting dynamics of the boating world.
On Sunday night the show hosted the graduation ceremony for NSW TAFE students of the 2018 class in Marine Technology Certificate 3. Students gathered with their families, employers as well as teachers both past and present.
General Manager of Marketing and Events for the BIA, Domenic Genua said, “Our intention this year was to take our visitors on a journey. Our desire was to share all that is good about recreational boating. Covering one hundred percent of the exhibition facilities, the show delivered seven halls of exhibits over two levels, and to complement that, the external Event Deck and Marina both proved very popular with visitors.”
Visitor numbers were on par with last year. Julie Balzano visiting with a delegation from the USA’s National Marine Manufacturers Association, described the show’s attendance as “solid”.
Daily attendance was: Thursday 7,158, Friday 11,840, Saturday 17,888, Sunday 18,033 and the very important final trading day received 5,231 visitors. Total visitors for 2019 were 60,149, an increase of 396 people across the 5 days of the show, compared to 2018.
The BIA also expressed its gratitude to all the event partners, and particularly to the show’s partner in safety, Transport for NSW.
The 2020 show dates have already been locked-in for Thursday, July 30 to Monday, August 3.
