FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — This year’s Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (FLIBS), held Oct. 25-29, spanned five days and seven venues. With an estimated economic impact of $1.8 billion and 100,000 visitors, 1,100 exhibiting brands and 1,300 boats on display, the show was a resounding success, said Andrew Doole, president of Informa Markets’ U.S. Boat Shows division.
Owned by the Marine Industries Association of South Florida and produced by Informa Markets, FLIBS took place across seven venues, including the Bahia Mar Yachting Center and the Broward County Convention Center (BCCC).
“With a legacy spanning more than six decades and contributing more than $1.79 billion to the state’s annual economy, FLIBS continues to set new standards of excellence, becoming an unrivaled platform for marine enthusiasts, industry professionals and luxury aficionados,” Doole said.
Informa’s five boat shows — FLIBS, the Palm Beach International Boat Show, the St. Petersburg Power and Sailboat Show, the Miami Yacht Show and the Suncoast Boat Show in Sarasota — have been successes, Doole said.
Exhibitors were excited about this year’s FLIBS show. Take Sportsman Boats, which announced it had surpassed its record for boats sold in 2022. Brunswick Corporation also reported another record performance at this year’s FLIBS show, with exceptionally strong sales and market share gains for several of its brands.
The future looks bright for FLIBS as construction continues on the mega-yacht Las Olas Marina, with an anticipated opening in spring 2024. Additionally, the reimagined 325-room Pier Sixty-Six Resort is expected to open in late 2024. The property will also feature a new Marina Promenade with over 33,000 square feet of retail, dining and office space. These new features complement Pier Sixty-Six Marina, a yachting destination with 164 slips and 5,000 linear feet of dockage and deep-water slips for yachts up to 400 feet in length. These new developments will enhance the already impressive FLIBS.
Related. Trade show director unveils 2023 Gold 100 Grand Prix finalists
Reducing its impact on the environment is one of FLIBS’ priorities.
“We have expanded our sustainability initiatives year over year to reduce waste and decrease the carbon footprint of our shows,” said Cristiane Fernandes, director of U.S. boat show operations for South Florida Ventures.
Initiatives include:
- Renewable electricity: Over the past decade, Informa Markets has invested over $2.8 million to eliminate diesel generators and improve energy efficiency through cutting-edge technologies. Its transition to 100% renewable electricity ensures that the carbon impact of the event is mitigated, providing a more sustainable experience for attendees.
- Recycled terrace: Informa replaced wood floors with recycled floors on more than six miles of floating docks, representing 4,632 tons of material diverted from landfills.
- Recycling bins: This year, more than 100 recycling bins were added to FLIBS and the circular economy was implemented. Collected plastic bottles and cups were recycled into sustainable raw materials and then transformed into sustainable clothing.
- Cords: They are part of the circular economy of the show. They were produced from recycled plastic from previous shows and recovered to be recycled again.
- Water: Refill stations were readily available to increase attendee hydration while reducing waste.
- Reduction of single-use plastic: In line with Informa’s commitment to minimizing plastic waste, the company initiated collaborative efforts with vendors and exhibitors to adopt a policy of limiting the use of plastic. Beverages were sold in aluminum bottles/cans.
- Signaling: Digital signage was featured prominently at the convention center. Cardboard panels were used instead of foam panels. FLIBS reuses most of the panels produced and those that cannot be reused are recycled.
- Beach cleaning: Two days of cleanup on Fort Lauderdale beach were organized with Rock The Ocean and Suzuki.
- Distinctions: FLIBS has won its first ever Innovation and Sustainability Award in partnership with the Marine Research Hub. The winner is the Sunreef 80 Power ECO, an 80-foot catamaran covered in solar panels.
All these initiatives are part of Informa’s “Faster Forward” program with the ambition of becoming a zero waste and net zero carbon emissions entity by 2030, in line with global environmental goals.
Contact Andrew Doole at Andrew.Doole@informa.com