Rosehill, Adelaide, Brisbane boat shows on hold for another year
Organisers behind three of Australia’s smaller boat shows put the format back on ice for another 12 monthsThe Rosehill, Adelaide and Brisbane boat shows will be shelved for another year as the events’ organisers, the nationally based Boating Industry Association, continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The BIA revealed this week it had “assessed member and exhibitor sentiments for the resumption of boat shows in Rosehill, Adelaide and Brisbane in 2024, and the decision was made not to proceed with these other events this year”.
However, rather than permanently shelve the events, the BIA left the door open saying it would continue to monitor market and member feedback so it could hold future shows “at the right time”.
The BIA was asked for comment.
The Rosehill Trailer Boat Show, Adelaide Boat Show and Brisbane Boat Show were all put on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic as social distancing rules, crowd limits and lockdowns made things difficult for organisers.
The events have not been staged since 2020, although Adelaide now holds a separate annual 4WD/boat/outdoor leisure show.
The decision to hold back on the smaller events comes as the BIA revealed that a survey of members after the 2023 Sydney International Boat Show showed the event had generated around $147 million in sales and orders for the exhibitors who attended the event.
The BIA also released the results of an independent economic and social impact report that claims the four-day event held at Darling Harbour in the centre of Sudney’s central business district spurred the state’s economy by around $345 million and created the equivalent of around 980 jobs.
Boat shows at Sanctuary Cove, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth have all made a comeback after the format was either changed – Sanctuary Cove became a boating festival with a strong online focus in 2020 and was bumped to late in the year – or cancelled in the depths of the pandemic.
The boat shows have generally been a major revenue raiser for the BIA to help it fund its member activities and the shows themselves.
The Sanctuary Cove and Sydney boat shows have bounced back strongly from the pandemic, with changes to the events' formats creating more of a festive atmosphere for showgoers.
The Melbourne show has also gone through significant change, moving from its traditional convention centre location to a waterside venue closer to the city's central business district.
Tags
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
