The Genoa International Boat Show concluded with a Sept. 23 press conference, during which organizers announced that the event drew more than 124,000 people to its venues. The show ran Sept. 18-22 in Genoa, Italy, and included 132 conferences and events, 4,050 sea trials and more than 1,000 boats on display indoors and on the docks.

Among highlights, the show saw the “signing of a historic agreement that brought the America’s Cup to Genoa and our companies,” according to a Salone Nautico statement. “Confindustria Nautica will be a strategic partner of the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup to guide companies towards the event that will be held in Naples in 2027.”

Commenting about the show, Piero Formenti, president of the Italian Marine Industry Association (Confindustria Nautica, the organizer) said that it is an event that has reached full maturity and completeness. Now, infrastructure and support from the country system are needed.

“Local institutions are working hard to make this goal a reality,” he continued. “It’s a process, and what’s important is that everyone is fully aware of it and that it also involves the national level in the leading international events of the supply chains that drive exports.”

DAVID CONWAY PHOTO

“The closing figures of 2024 for the recreational boating sector are positive. Turnover for the Italian industry grew by 3.2%, reaching an all-time high of €8.60 billion [$10.15 billion],” Formenti said during his address at the start of the show. “Growth is driven by the high-end and superyacht segments, which maintain their position as global leaders, while the small-boat industry recorded a decline in turnover of approximately 10%.”

Marco Fortis, director and vice chair of Fondazione Edison, an Italian economic research foundation, added that “in 2024, Italy maintained its role as the world’s leading exporter in the boatbuilding industry … with around 90% of national production being exported. The U.S. remains one of the most important markets — particularly for boats under 24 meters — although tariff-related uncertainties have affected order books. This reinforces a clear need to diversify outlet markets and enhance the role of trade events as platforms to strengthen business development through international partnerships.”