Brisbane Boat Show 2017 proves a hit
Another rise in attendance on the back of the trailerboat fishing and watersports marketsThe 57th Brisbane Boat Show has closed with 15,727 visitors attending the three-day event — up from 12,300 last year and the sub-10k the year prior — at this second consecutive staging at the impressive Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre.
Situated at the doorstep of Australia’s boat manufacturing hub, the historic boat show — for so many years consigned to the Brisbane Showground — provides the industry with an opportunity to showcase their new trailerboats, outboards, PWCs and gear.
The trailerboat showcase combined with a bigger and broader visitor entertainment package provided the foundation for a great experience, says the BIA.
The other point made at the official opening that we attended was that Queensland boat licence holders are growing at 2.9 per cent annually, almost double that of the State's population growth rate. Registrations are also up, leading to signs of greater participation in recreational boating in the State.
Patrick Quirk, General Manager of Maritime Safety Queensland, said the State Government had spent about $25m on operational and capital expenditure for boating in 2016-17 and that 2017-18 looked to be a bit more than that. He point to the new Townsville Recreational Boating Park setting the national standard in boating developments.
Howard Glenn, National CEO of the Boating Industry Association, said a whole new process of analysis has now begun to better understand the results and prepare for next year’s Brisbane Boat Show.
"The event’s success can only continue if we build a bigger and better program for next year. Both consumer and exhibitor research will now commence to help us understand the real show result beyond the visitor numbers."
Working off the principle that ‘Good Boating is Safe Boating’, show organisers pulled together an excellent line up of agencies, new boat launches, dealers and deals.
With more than 70 per cent of visitors having an interest in fishing, the education was slanted to top tips for wetting a line. To add to the entertainment, an oversized swimming pool will be on hand to demonstrate kayaks and stand-up paddleboards.
Planning for the 2018 calendar of boat shows will commence immediately with Brisbane scheduled for August 24 to 26.
More at Brisbane Boat Show.
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