Sustainability certification and measuring the economic impact of the show will mark the 40th anniversary of the Palma International Boat Show

The fair, which will take place from 25th to 28th April 2024, presents the activities of the next edition at FITUR, such as The Balearic Superyacht Forum

The Palma International Boat Show (PIBS) will celebrate its 40th anniversary during the next edition of the boat show, which will focus on sustainability certification and measuring the economic impact of the event. The event, which will be held from the 25th to 28th of April in Palma’s Moll Vell, has established itself as one of the benchmark events for the nautical sector on an international level and the fair that opens the Mediterranean nautical season.

The Palma boat show has presented its fortieth anniversary at the International Tourism Fair (FITUR) with the presence of the Minister of Enterprise, Employment and Energy of the Government of the Balearic Islands, Alejandro Saenz de San Pedro, the Minister of Tourism of the Consell de Mallorca, Marcial Rodriguez, the managing director of the Institute for Business Innovation of the Balearic Islands (IDI), Silvia Delgado, and the president of the Balearic Marine Cluster, Antoni Salom.

The organisers are preparing a series of events to commemorate this anniversary together with exhibitors and visitors, as well as actions that aim to set the path for the future of the fair, such as the start of certification as a sustainable event. In this sense, this edition will have the first sustainability plan that will include measures for the reduction and improvement of environmental, social, and economic aspects. Thus, the carbon footprint of the fair, the waste generated, and the consumption of materials and water will be measured. In addition, a catalogue of sustainability recommendations will be drawn up for suppliers, exhibitors, and visitors. The aim is to improve the indicators obtained in future editions and thus certify the PIBS as a sustainable event.

Another of the novelties that will mark the next edition will be the measurement of the economic impact of the event to find out what the event means for the sector, for Palma and the rest of Mallorca. In addition, conferences and sector conferences will be organised, as well as a celebration to thank the companies for the trust they place in the fair every year. All the news about the 40th anniversary can be consulted on the website https://palmainternationalboatshow.com/40-aniversario/.

One of the most important events at the next edition will undoubtedly be The Balearic Superyacht Forum, organised by the Balearic Marine Cluster with the sponsorship of the IDI and the collaboration of The Superyacht Group. This is the first international superyacht forum in the Balearic Islands, to be held on the 24th and 25th of April, coinciding with the Palma International Boat Show. For two days, Palma will bring together superyacht professionals, experts and enthusiasts in a dynamic event where the main aspects that will determine the future of the sector will be discussed.

The Balearic Superyacht Forum will feature a full programme consisting of a wide variety of sessions, presentations and interactive activities focusing on aspects such as innovation, sustainability, the evolution of Palma’s nautical maintenance and repair industry, as well as the opportunities and challenges facing the Balearic Islands as an international nautical tourism destination. The programme and content of the congress are now available on the website thebalearicsuperyachtforum.com, where tickets can also be purchased.

During this 40-year history, the Palma International Boat Show has played a very important role for the Islands’ nautical sector, which is considered one of the Balearic Islands’ economic engines. In fact, the show has been the gateway for many foreign firms that have decided to establish themselves on the islands after participating as exhibitors. In addition, it has also contributed to the internationalisation and growth of local nautical companies. According to data from the Balearic Marine Cluster, the 83 associated companies employ more than 2,000 people and generate more than 600 million euros.

The last edition of the Palma International Boat Show, organized by the IDI, an agency under the Ministry of Enterprise, Employment and Energy, and Balearic Yacht Brokers Association (BYBA) had 271 participating companies and some 600 boats on display, more than 250 at sea, spread over a fairground of 81,000 square meters. It was also the setting for presentations of new boat models and products on a global scale, as well as becoming the nerve centre of the sector for four days.