Coronavirus fears cast shadow over Aussie boat shows
UPDATE: The Rosehill Trailer Boat Show becomes the first industry-based victim of the growing coronavirus scareOrganisers behind Australia’s biggest boat shows will meet on Wednesday to decide if scheduled boat shows will still go ahead in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Organisers on Monday officially pulled the plug on boat shows at Rosehill in Sydney, and at Sanctuary Cove on the Gold Coast. The Sanctuary Cove event will be postponed to a later date than its original May timeslot.
The running of other future events including the Adelaide Boat Show, the Sydney International Boat Show and the Brisbane Boat Show, will be on the agenda at a board meeting to be held on Wednesday.
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The move comes in response to the Federal Government announcing last week that it would advise against “non-essential public events of 500 people or more” as a way of slowing the spread of the virus.
“The BIA is seeking to clarify the implications and duration of this advice so that an informed decision can be made regarding the Rosehill Boat Show and whether such advice has implications for our future boats shows in Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane,” BIA president Darren Vaux said in a statement released late last week.
“The BIA is attending a large exhibition industry meeting on Monday morning in relation to this matter.
“On Wednesday the BIA board of directors are meeting where this will be a critical matter on the agenda and a decision will be made in relation to the Rosehill Boat Show and further clarification will be provided regarding the other shows and activities.
“The BIA recognises the critical importance of the boat shows to our members and the showcasing of the boating lifestyle and we are working on short- and medium-term programs and contingencies should the boat shows be further affected by the current situation.”
He said the BIA would provide updates to its members “when available”.
The coronavirus outbreak has already forced the cancellation or postponement of a number of boat shows globally, including the premier Palm Beach International Boat Show in the US.
Boat shows are an important way for the marine brands, particularly Australian ones, to connect buyers with the boats and equipment they want to own.
Collectively, events such as the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show can generate hundreds of millions of dollars in new-boat sales.
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