Exhibitors from the Algarve and Portugal (16 from the Algarve, 16 from the Azores, 4 from Madeira and 6 from the rest of the country, with only one from Lisbon), after the nine days of Boot 2017, share a common feeling at the end of the biggest fair nautical in the world: «any entity or company that has a nautical product must be present at this world show, because Portugal and the Sea are associated, and we have very good quality products to present and promote our country here».
Another complementary idea shared by those present is that «Portugal has to promote itself in this great world exhibition as a nation of Discoveries, which most people in the countries refer to and admire when they know we are Portuguese, but now focused on discovering what it is. our! We have to bring this important need to our decision makers – companies must be supported in their international promotion and nautical legislation must be changed and adjusted to the current dynamic times! Enough of bureaucracy and inspections, which are often unnecessary in view of CE certification and which block the development of the nautical sector in the country! It gets to be hell for anyone who wants to work!», said many of the Portuguese exhibitors.
But the success of Boot Düsseldorf, now in its 48th edition, is due to the fact that today it reveals impressive numbers, such as this year:
-There were more than 242.000 visitors from around 70 countries, mostly from Germany, Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, France, but also from Russia, and with an ever-increasing number of Asian countries, all people with high power of purchase;
-More than 1800 exhibitors representing 70 countries, spread across 17 pavilions linked together in an area of about 260.000 square meters of covered spaces, the equivalent of 33 football fields, where minibuses permanently circulate outside connecting the pavilions, facilitating travel between the different halls;
-A fair where almost all nautical products are exhibited, such as sailing and motor boats and their equipment, diving, surfing and windsurfing in their different aspects, canoeing, rowing, fishing, nautical charter, tourism and associated hotels, innovations and new technologies in the sector, marinas and sporting ports, associations, which also talk about ocean sustainability and research … and where the entrance ticket gives you to use the city's public transport to get to and from Boot;
-A fair to exhibit, negotiate, touch, see, buy, confer, debate, come with family or school, where in its five large huge aquatic tanks many activities can be done, such as diving, sailing, canoeing, skiing, wakeboarding, windsurfing or even surfing in the wave pool – the “Wave”, one of this year's innovations and with a huge success.
-A turnover that is estimated to be the largest in recent years, given the number of sailing and motor boats of greater dimensions, in a number never seen before, as well as a profusion of nautical proposals of greater quality, which attract more and more a qualified public attending the large fair, with high purchasing power, with an increase in tourist vacation proposals that encompass the different nautical and diving activities.
The Algarve, absent as a Tourism Region, was present under two great “support hats”: the Portimão Tourism Association (ATP) and the Municipality of Vila do Bispo, as already reported by Sul Informação.
Reference is also made to the singular participation of Portiate, Marina de Lagos and Sun Concept, the company that presented the only solar boat in the entire show, who it was even imaged in one of Boot's official videos.
but the big sea of people that circulated in the fair area was also sensitive to the proposals brought by the participating Algarve companies and entities, having obtained good results in terms of promotion and dissemination, as well as contacts with potential customers, suppliers and promoters, with good business prospects for a brief future, some of them already materialized.
It is the beginning of a promising 2017 season for companies. The number of Algarve exhibitors has increased over the last editions of this fair, contrary to the rest of Portugal, which had almost no expression.
The only exceptions were the Autonomous Region of the Azores, which, since 2012, has participated with two stands respectively of 60 and 30 square meters, as well as the Madeira Promotion Association, in an important commitment to promote the regions and support their companies.
The Algarve, with its almost perfect conditions for the practice of most activities and water sports throughout the year, has even to show itself in the Düsseldorf Boot 2018 as a tourist region in block, supporting companies and entities to give visibility and in fact promote our great nautical and underwater potential.
In the minds of those responsible for the companies and entities that were here, the next edition of Boot is already being prepared and planned, which will take place from January 20th to 28th, 2018.
“There are things to change in the next year and we have to work more on images and dynamic strategies that favor the attraction of visitors”, said Ricardo Soares, from Municipality of Vila do Bispo, Philip Taveira, from Portiate, Renato Cacoete, from Subnauta, and Ivo Faria, from ATP.
One of the bets will have to be in the timely choice of spaces with greater visibility for the stands, which must have a model more suited to a quality image that one intends to promote and associate with the Algarve.
The GEO – Group of Oceanic Studies, an association that collaborates with the Sul Informação, has been with Boot Düsseldorf since 1994, where he has remained with members of his team throughout the fairs, learning about the innovations and technical advances in the nautical sector and providing information to those who request it.
Text: Alberto Machado - GEO
Photos: Yannick Kethers – GEO
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