MIAMI – The 2022 Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show was a huge success after returning to the Miami Beach Convention Center and Downtown Miami. As the world’s largest boat and yacht event, the show welcomed over 100,000 visitors and generated huge business for the recreational boating industry.
The inaugural 2022 event was a joint production of Informa Markets, the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and the International Yacht Brokers Association (IYBA), and combined the Miami International Boat Show, the Miami Yacht Show and SuperYacht Miami to create a seamless experience for exhibitors, customers and the marine industry as a whole.
“The 2022 Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show was a historic success, welcoming more than 100,000 guests to the world’s largest boat and yacht event and solidifying South Florida as the premier boating and yachting destination,” said Andrew Doole, President of U.S. Boat Shows at Informa Markets. “We are grateful to the National Marine Manufacturers Association, International Yacht Brokers Association and our local partners for working diligently with our team to deliver a seamless and enjoyable experience for all attendees.”
The 2022 event was the first boat show to be integrated into the Discover Boating brand and launched the new Discover Boating marketing campaign, which features the theme “See You Out Here,” creating a unifying voice and addressing the evolving interests of boaters and potential boaters.
“The reimagined and rebranded Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show was a resounding success and could not have come at a better time, bringing together all facets of the recreational boating industry to deliver a unique, world-class experience for boaters of all backgrounds,” said Frank Hugelmeyer, NMMA President. “We are grateful to our partners and look forward to building on the 2022 event to continue delivering the best in recreational boating to hundreds of thousands of boating enthusiasts around the world for years to come.”
SuperYacht Miami, which was the place to be for those looking for the largest and most luxurious yachts, showcased Damen’s 182-foot Gene Chaser and 180-foot Gene Machine, as well as Oceanfast’s 163-foot Thunder, among other luxurious superyachts.
“The docks were packed and exhibitors were thrilled with the consumer response. It’s clear that our partnership with NMMA on the reimagined Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show will be a success for many years to come,” said Paul Flannery, chief operating officer of the International Yacht Brokers Association. “Next year will be even bigger and better.”
With six venues, including the return to the newly renovated Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC) powered by West Marine, the show was the first to occupy the entire MBCC campus and Pride Park since reopening after the pandemic, and featured the nation’s top boat brands and thousands of marine accessories, electronics and engine manufacturers.
“It was a great homecoming for all of us, as we were thrilled to once again host the Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show, which hadn’t been here since 2015. But it was also a tremendous opportunity to not only showcase what MBCC is all about on a global scale, but also to activate our downtown campus for the first time ever. To be a part of an international event with such a massive economic impact while being able to put a lot of people to work was truly remarkable,” said MBCC CEO Freddie Peterson.
Exhibitors were thrilled with the volume of business done at the show and the new buyers and prospects they interacted with. “While the final numbers are not yet in, we believe the volume of business done at this show will be significant,” said Randy Field, vice president of marketing for South Florida Ventures at Informa Markets. “The early feedback we are getting from exhibitors and attendees is what makes this show a grand slam.”
Bob Denison, president and founder of Denison Yachting, echoed that sentiment: “This year’s Miami show was the best ever. The docks were packed all five days. We broke all sales records. Brokers and clients were all happy. And everyone loved the Yachts After Dark event on Friday night.”
Ken Clinton, president of Intrepid Powerboats, said he was thrilled with the show. “The Miami International Boat Show was truly incredible in so many ways. The upgraded convention center was a great venue because we didn’t have to worry about the weather because we had the benefit of a climate-controlled indoor space,” Clinton said. “Intrepid Nation generated approximately $15 million in sales during the boat show, while thoroughly enjoying the time spent with Intrepid owners and boating enthusiasts from across the country.”
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Sustainability and innovation took center stage at the 2022 Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show at the Progressive Boat Show Experience at Pride Park. Visitors enjoyed a series of experiential activities including aerial aquabatic demonstrations at the Nautical Ventures AquaZone, environmental seminars at the Costa Conservation Village and the latest electric and battery-powered boats at the Ford Mach-E Charged! Electric Pavilion.
“Sustainability and promoting green energy are at the core of our concerns,” said Matt Ramirez, marketing director for U.S. boat shows at Informa Markets. “With our current efforts, we are able to offset all of the fuel consumed by the vessels participating in the underwater portion of the show. We are striving to be the first-ever carbon neutral boat show.”
New fintech trends have also made their way to the 2022 boat show, particularly in the area of NFTs and cryptocurrency rewards. Cloud Yachts, a digital yacht dealership, has formed an industry-first strategic partnership with Informa Markets to launch a limited edition of 100 yacht NFTs at the 2022 Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show. NFTs are original works of art created by leading superyacht designers.
The Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show will return February 15-19, 2023.
For more information, please visit www.miamiboatshow.com.
Contact Andrew Doole at (954) 764-7642 or andrew.doole@informa.com; Frank Hugelmeyer at (202) 737-9771 or fhugelmeyer@nmma.org; Randy Field at Randy.Field@informa.com