2011 Fort Lauderdale Boat Show Attracts Asian Buyers

The 27th Annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show could attract twice as many Asian buyers this year, as the demand for yachts rises among the growing middle and upper classes.

The boat show begins Oct. 27 with a prime-time preview and runs through Oct. 31. The show includes six venues: the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center, Sails Marina, Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina, Las Olas Marina, Bahia Mar Yachting Center and the Hall of Fame Marina. General adult admission prices range from $16 to $85 online and from $18 to $90 at the box office.

“This boat show has a lot of potential because we have buyers from Europe and Australia, and even though it seems uncertain, there really is a lot of stability in places that really matter,” said Bob Denison, president and founder of Fort Lauderdale-based yacht broker Denison Yacht Sales Florida.

China, Japan and South Korea are some of these places where, over the last two years, growing middle and upper classes have enjoyed a significant increase in yachting infrastructure, marinas and storage facilities, Denison said. As a result, the Fort Lauderdale show could have twice as many Asian buyers, he added.

While all buyers remain driven by deals, the marketplace is more consistent and optimistic this year compared to 2010, said Simon Gibson, a managing member with Palm Beach-based Worth AvenueYachts, which will showcase six boats at this year’s show, including the 125-foot Namoh.

“Clients are returning to the market on a more consistent basis, and it’s a far more comfortable environment,” he said.

In addition, exhibitor requests for space have climbed about 8 to 9 percent this year, said Efrem “Skip” Zimbalist III, CEO of Active Interest Media and Show Management, the company that produces the boat show.

This year’s show will feature a new Trawler Port, a show-within-a-show of long-range cruisers that measure from 35 to 90 feet.

“One of the big challenges that any boat show has is how to segment off specific points of interest for buyers and it’s nice to see a specific area for just those kinds of boats,” said Denison, who is representing trawlers from Selene Yachts and Beneteau at the show.

The Trawler Port is being incorporated as a result of Active Interest Media’s acquisition of PassageMaker magazine, which produced several independent trawler shows nationwide called Trawler Fests.

When exhibitors have been surveyed about past boat shows, they revealed that it was difficult to find and locate desired distributors, Zimbalist said. As a result, this year’s show is to include a larger program guide map, additional detailed signage and 22 greeters to assist people with show information and questions.

In addition, the new MyBoatShow iPhone and Android applications launch this year to help attendees navigate the 3 million square feet of space, Zimbalist said.