Sydney International Boat Show 2023: A resounding success
SIBS is over for another year after enjoying four successful days celebrating the Australian boating lifestyle.
Taking place at the International Convention Centre Sydney and the show’s purpose-built marina on Cockle Bay, this year’s much-anticipated event was a resounding success.
“Boating is a standout option in leisure for people from all walks of life, ages and abilities. We’re delighted with the diversity of the offering, quality of the displays and the enthusiasm of the public attending our show,” said Andrew Fielding, president of the Boating Industry Association (BIA), who organised the event.
The show was home to a total of 233 exhibitors, who presented 646 boats at the show. This included 220 vessels on the marina which represented 82 on-water exhibitors — the largest on-water display since 2018. The ICC halls hosted 151 exhibitors showing a total of 424 boats.
The exhibitors were out to impress, and by the show’s end reported significant sales in the halls and the marina, leading to an anticipated show turnover in the hundreds of millions of dollars, which reinforces the annual economic value of the boating industry to NSW of more than $3 billion.
On the marina, Hannah Mason of Short Marine said this could well be the “best show ever” for their business. “The show has gone really well for us, partly due to the Viking Yacht at our stand. It’s been such a showstopper, we’ll bring a bigger model next year, maybe even the Valhalla 55. Our sales have been that significant,” she said.
Flagstaff Marine, who were proud presenters of the Beneteau brand among others, enjoyed a similar success during the event. “A number of very strong enquires indicates to us the market is definitely turning,” said Flagstaff Marine’s senior broker, Campbell Geeves. “It’s been reassuring to see the public’s enthusiasm for sailing boats, particularly the debut of the Beneteau First 36.”
Richard Morris of Australian Superyachts was “blown away” by what a triumph the show was and is expecting to close a few sales in the weeks following the show. “We have around half a dozen solid contracts out in the market right now, perhaps a few more, all coming from interests at the show. Not just for the Nomad 101, but the Majesty 72 as well. We’ve had a great show,” he said.
Heading into the Halls, the popularity continued across the entire spectrum, with boating enthusiasts enjoying the range of boats and accessories on offer.
Craig Rushby from Oceans Wilderness, a fishing and tackle retailer, received a tremendous response from the public at his stand during the four-day event. “We’re very glad to be here,” he said, amid the busy second day of the show. “The entire range is proving more popular than we imagined, from the cheapest bait bucket to our most expensive reels. We had to bring in a second cash register to meet the demand.”
Cruise Craft was another fan-favourite at the show, and sales and marketing manager Danny Jordin said the brand’s new models were getting a lot of attention and qualified buyers were quick to place deposits. “We’ve sold multiple units,” Danny reported. “The foot traffic has been great this year, and as well as sales at the show, we have plenty of leads to follow up in the days and weeks ahead.”
Jon Hunt from Hunt’s Marine was likewise pleased with the crowd numbers throughout the event. “There’s been a good solid cross-section of buyers come through our Hunt’s Marine stand,” Jon said. “Admittedly, we always do well at the show, and the sales this year have been good. The customers at the show this year have been engaged and interested in what we have to offer.”
In addition to all the exhibitors that put on a fantastic display, the event itself also delivered numerous memorable moments. Friday’s official function brought together many of the industry’s leaders and stakeholders to acknowledge the enormous social and economic contribution boating makes to NSW and the rest of Australia. Minister for Transport Jo Haylen recognised recipients of the Maritime Medal, while the BIA Apprentice of the Year Award was presented to Beau Deathridge of Douglas Marine. The BIA also recognised the contribution made to the industry by former BIA president Darren Vaux, who received a well-deserved Life Membership to the BIA.
The Careers Day, which took place on the opening day, saw more than 300 young people eager to find out more about the many diverse career opportunities offered by the boating industry. While the next evening, the show was proud to host the graduation ceremony for NSW TAFE students of the marine certificate courses. Students gathered with their families, employers and teachers both past and present.
The show’s new Discover Sailing & Paddling Hub as well as the popular Fishing Masterclasses were enjoyed by all and were star players in the show’s celebration of family-friendly boating activities.
“Our intention this year was to showcase all that is great about recreational boating. With the show sold out and full to overflowing with boats, gear and accessories across the Halls and Marina,” said Andrew Fielding.
Attendance numbers over the four days of the show were strong, with a total of 46,919 reported — an increase on last year’s event.
We hope all visitors had an enjoyable and successful event — and if you missed out, don’t worry. The Sydney International Boat Show will return on 1–4 August 2024.
The Sydney International Boat Show is presented by the Boating Industry Association Ltd (BIA) and Mulpha Events, and proudly supported by its Partner in Safety, Transport for NSW, along with official event partners National Storage and Walcon Marine.
For more information, visit the SIBS website.
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