will officially open world leading Genoa 46th International Boat Show
next Saturday at Genoa fairgrounds
From 7 through 15 October, 1,650 exhibitors (+7% against 2005, 36% of them from abroad) and 2,200 boats (+9% against 2005)
With the new marina, the number of boats in the water doubles: there will be 430
Italian Deputy Prime Minister,
Mr Massimo D'Alema, and Minister for Transport,
Mr Alessandro Bianchi, will open Genoa forty-sixth International Boat Show next Saturday. The Show, organised by Fiera di Genova and UCINA (the Italian professional association of the pleasure boating industry), is the number-one boat show in the world and will be held next Saturday 7 through Sunday 15 October. The opening ceremony will also be attended by Deputy Minister for Transport Cesare De Piccoli.
Fiera di Genova S.p.A.'s Chairman, Mr
Paolo Lombardi, UCINA Chairman's,
Mr Anton F. Albertoni, Fiera di Genova S.p.A's Managing Director,
Mr Roberto Urbani, and UCINA's general secretary,
Mr Lorenzo Pollicardo, took the floor during this morning's preview.
This year's International Boat Show is recording figures on the increase. Participating exhibitors will total a number of 1,650 (+ 7% compared to 2005), 36% of which from abroad, confirming the Show's global scale. As many as 180 exhibitors will take part in the Show for the first time. 2,200 boats (+ 9% compared to last year's 2,027) will be on display, 430 of which in the water, in the two equipped marinas; 76 crafts will be pleasure vessels exceeding 24 metres, and 34 of the latter will be super yachts, beyond 30 metres. 401 models will be presented on preview.
Genoa 46th International Boat Show's flagship will be Baglietto 43-metre "AnnAmia" among powerboats and Jongert 30T "Black Molly III" among sailing boats. The guest of honour, during the first two days, will be Maltese Falcon, the 88-metre sailing boat built by Viareggio-based Cantieri Perini. USA 61, Larry Ellison's BMW Oracle team's boat, one of the protagonists of the America's Cup, will welcome all visitors on the outside yard in front of the main entrance.
What's new at the ShowThe most important novelty from an exhibition viewpoint is undoubtedly the very much awaited new marina, completed by Genoa Port Authority, which enables Genoa Show to boast an even-larger floating exhibition area. The new marina will feature berths extending over 1,300 linear metres overall and 873 metres of floating jetties, built by Ingemar, whose width ranges between 9 and 3 metres and totalling a 6,150 square-metre walkable surface.
Thanks to the acquisition of this new 60,000 square-metre water surface (which adds up to Marina Uno's 40 thousand square metres), the Boat Show's overall sea surface has increased to 100,000 square metres, with 23 quays and 8 kilometres of pathways overlooking the sea. Genoa fairground is the only one in the world offering adjacent, uninterrupted exhibition areas including pavilions, water areas and outdoor ones.
The new marina has been completed by Genoa Port Authority using the funds allocated by the Italian Ministry for Transport and Infrastructures: additional infrastructural works have been carried out by Fiera di Genova S.p.A.. Thanks to these major accomplishments, as of this year the most important shipyards in the world will have the opportunity to display their complete range of boats in the water.
The new available spaces have considerably changed the Show's layout. Among major changes, TechTrade will be further enhanced and will become a real "show within the show", with approximately 500 companies operating in the sector of accessories, onboard equipment, and fishing equipment and displaying their products in pavilion C and in the first gallery of pavilion S, as well as the comeback of diving equipment – in the Mondoinvela area, Marina Due -, with leading manufacturers of equipment and accessories, which have identified Genoa Boat Show as an excellent opportunity to do business and gain visibility. On their part, the Show's organisers have decided to make way for one of the most fascinating sea activities.
Sector dataIn 2005, the value of the Italian production of pleasure boats was approximately 2.5 billion Euros, recording a 9% increase. (This percentage increase was calculated by comparing the data of a sample formed applying the same criteria as last year).
The boating sector's contribution to Italy's GDP in 2005, including directly related activities, was approximately 2.8 billion Euros.
As for employment in this sector, in 2005 the number of jobs witnessed once again an upward trend. The overall number of people employed in the boating sector is 18,000.
Italy keeps being a great exporter of pleasure boats: indeed, Italian exports amount to more than 60% of the overall production value. Data provided by ISTAT (the Italian
statistical institute) on foreign trade show that European countries account for 48% of the above-mentioned percentage, with non EU countries reaching 7% and EU countries 41%. 12% of the value of exports stems from trade with the US, while the rest of the American continent absorbs 31% of Italian exports.
As for nautical leasing, data supplied by ASSILEA (the association of leasing companies), in 2005 the number of signed contracts reached an absolute value of 1,547 million Euros (1,260 million Euros in 2004), which, expressed as a percentage, means a 22% increase compared to the previous year. Leasing is therefore witnessing a general growth.
When data obtained from Harbour Offices are compared with an analysis of leasing data in Italy, it is possible to state that the number of registrations in 2005 was generally stable; an increase was mainly recorded in relation to boats from 16 to 24 metres.
With regard to the super yachts sector, the number of orders placed in 2005-2006 highlights a considerable growth; indeed, the number of work orders worldwide has moved up from 651 in 2005 to 688 in 2006. Italy's presence on the super yachts world market accounts for approximately 38%.
Italian shipyards rank first in the world in terms of open work orders – their number was 260 in 2005, with a 4% increase in demand as against the previous year; Italian production mainly focuses on boats between 80 and 100 feet.
Preferential days for professional operatorsMonday, 9 and Tuesday, 10 October will be the preferential days for professional operators at Tech Trade, the section including all sectors devoted to accessories and sports fishing.
Opening hours, entrances, parking in town, and boat services
The Show will be open every day from 10 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. The entrance ticket will cost 13 Euros, reduced fee 10 Euros. Free entrance for children up to 6 years. Groups of at least 30 people can buy reduced tickets at the counters. To leave the show and re-enter it on the same day visitors can ask for an optical reading stamp near the exits.
There will be three accessways to the Show: the Eastern gate in piazzale Kennedy, the Ship Repair Yard (Marina 2), the ticket counter on the quay for visitors arriving by boat from the Old Port, the port parking areas, and Molo Archetti in Pegli. Dogs, obviously on the leash and muzzled, will be admitted to the Show.
Thanks to the new area in San Benigno – connected to the fairgrounds by a shuttle service – and the opening of Corso Italia (the road along the seafront) every day during the Show, the number of available parking spots connected to the Show will increase to over 7,000. Nonetheless, the organisers keep recommending using public transport as much as possible: trains, buses, taxies, as well as ferry boats and shuttles.
The "Welcoming Project" and the calendar of events in townIn order to ensure that guests and tourists can enjoy a pleasant stay, Fiera di Genova and UCINA are organising "Progetto Accoglienza" (Welcoming Project), in cooperation with Genoa Chamber of Commerce. This project includes a series of information and transport services devoted to the visitors of the Show and aiming at making them enjoy the city to the fullest, facilitating transfers from and to the airport, railway stations, main hotels, and the city centre.
Publications
The Show catalogue will be on sale at 7 Euros at the ticket counters, the information centres, and at UCINA's info-points, and can be consulted starting from 7 October on the two Internet sites
www.salonenautico-online.it and
www.salonenauticogenova.it.
Services at the fairgroundsThe service centre in pavilion C will be the reference point for both visitors and exhibitors, with ATMs, travel agencies, car rentals, a post counter, a photocopying centre, and a photographer. A newspaper kiosk, the Traffic Police offices, and a bus ticket shop will be open at the Eastern entrance reception.
For those who have difficulties in walking, this year too Fiera di Genova – with the technical-operating support of the social cooperative "La Cruna", and in cooperation with "Terre di Mare", Genoa Provincial centre for accessibility and tourism for the disabled – will confirm the special welcoming service, making available four-wheel electrical scooters and wheelchairs, together with a map highlighting recommended routes, to ensure everyone can visit the Show freely. A shuttle service for the disabled connecting the Show to the main parking areas will also be available upon request (tel. 346-6785778).
To make moving around the Show easier, a boat service connecting the MondoinVela area and the Southern part of the new marina has been set up.
Information for the PressOn Friday, 6 October the Press will be able to visit the Show on preview. The reception and the Press Room will open at 9.30 a.m.
The opening ceremony will start at 9.30 a.m. on Saturday, 7 October, in the presence of Italian authorities with the flag-hoisting ceremony followed by welcoming speeches at Fieracongressi.
"La nautica in cifre" (The boating sector in figures) - market analysis for the year 2005, published by Ucina in cooperation with the University of Genoa – Economics and Quantitative Methods Department, will be illustrated to the Press on Monday, 9 October at 10.30 a.m.
Information
Fiera di Genova tel. +39.010.53911, e-mail:
fierage@fiera.ge.it,
www.salonenautico-online.itUCINA: tel. + 39 010 5769811, e-mail:
ucina@ucina.net ,
www.salonenauticogenova.itFiera di Genova Press Office
Tel +39 010 5391.206-211-250-262
e-mail :
press@fiera.ge.it ufficiostampa@fiera.ge.itUfficio Stampa UCINA
Tel + 39 010 5769812
E-mail:
promotion@ucina.net
