The Venice Boat Show shines, signaling a bright future

The second edition of the Venice Boat Show opened its doors on May 29 and will run until June 6. An exhibition that  - after the suspension of 2020 - has doubled in exhibitors - 160 compared to 87 in the first edition, and 220 boats, against 102 seen in 2019.

Just as the nautical industry shows signs of awakening from „the COVID nightmare“, the Venice Boat Show seems more like a pleasant dream than an awakening. The new setting of the show is the Arsenal, which five centuries ago was the largest industrial complex in the world employing more than 5000 workers building the worlds largest fleet of ships. A very suggestive historical context in the heart of Venice, consisting of a water basin of 50,000 square meters, over 1000 linear meters of piers for about 150 boats in the water, 30,000 square meters of outdoor exhibition spaces, and covered pavilions for about 5,000 square meters in total.

The new location is complemented by a new organization which has gained the clear support of the local authorities and the Italian Nautical association (UCINA), resulting in a stellar rise to a serious boat show with a bright future. This achievement is all the more impressive considering the challenges of the COVID pandemic.