Despite the unstable weather, the third edition of the Sardinia Boat Show, which took place from May 1st to 5th in Olbia's Porto Rotondo Marina, concluded with a good turnout.
Organizers reported that the turnout was in line with expectations and with previous years. Approximately 180 boats were present at the event, and 156 exhibitors participated, 140 of whom had a stand. The event was funded by theRegional Department of Tourism and organized by Cipnes Gallura, with the sponsored by the Municipality of Olbia, the Coast Guard and Confindustria Nautica, and with the operational partnership of the Porto Rotondo MarinaThe nautical industry is a supply chain that involves manufacturers, shipyards, but also those who deal with everything installed on board boats, from furnishings to systems, to ensure maximum comfort and, of course, safety.
This year's edition was marked by the presence of the 'Techno-Green' area, which hosted innovative companies and startups, the San Raffaele research centers and the French Sophia Antipolis research center, the Universities of Cagliari, the Côte d'Azur, and the University of Olbia, with the Faculty of Naval Engineering, a spin-off of the University of Cagliari.
Angelo Colombo, organizer of the event, confirmed that "this edition concluded with great general satisfaction, also due to the quality of the relationships it generated, both among customers and among the operators themselves, who took the opportunity to initiate B2B exchanges. It's an event everyone tends to want to repeat, and in fact, we've already received numerous confirmations for next year." In addition to the boat display, nine talks were held on the topics of safety at sea, environmental protection, employment, and training. "We addressed topics," Colombo remarked, "that are primarily of interest to those working in the sector and, in some cases, to the general public as well.
This fair was an opportunity for discussion between operators and institutions. Some discussions served as an impetus to initiate discussions, which will be resumed next year, but also to address some critical issues that were highlighted or, simply, to provide answers to observations that were made on ongoing issues. The interested public of enthusiasts was present, and we even had some very significant visits from abroad, particularly from Greece. There was a shipowner who came here to see one of the large boats on display and to contact the shipyard. There were obviously important exchanges between new potential customers and shipyards, especially with the local ones, which are of greatest interest to us, such as Novamarine, G-Tender, Sea Water, and Marino.” Matteo Molinas, president of the Rete dei Porti Sardegna , confirmed that despite the cloudy weather, the numbers for the Sardinia Boat Show were positive. “Compared to the first edition,” Molinas emphasized, “both the number of boats and exhibitors has doubled. We're growing year after year and are constantly trying to raise the bar, including by carefully selecting exhibitors, to provide a service to boaters. This year, perhaps also because of Porto Rotondo's 60th anniversary, there's been an extra boost. We're segmenting well, and there's a lot of interest from shipyards, brokers, and dealers. We also keep in mind that in August, Porto Rotondo attracts an average of twenty thousand people a day. This is already a destination that can offer food and accommodation services, with excellent hotel hospitality.
