Attendance up at Newport International Boat Show
Newport Exhibition Group, owners and producers of the Newport International Boat Show, announced that 2015 attendance and buying activity was up over last year.
“This year was without a doubt our best show yet and with the Newport Yachting Center site secured for the future, we are already working on creative ways to increase our exhibit space,” said Paul O’Reilly, CEO, Newport Harbor Corporation. “Thank you to all of the exhibitors, sponsors and attendees that made the 2015 show a huge hit! We look forward to seeing you in 2016.”
The Newport International Boat Show is one of the largest boat shows in the country, and attendees were able to view an exceptional assortment of power and sail boats ranging from 15 to 90 feet as well as an across-the-board range of boating equipment, systems and boating life-style accessories. The show also offered informative seminars, hands-on training clinics and its popular Newport For New Products program which included the U.S. debuts of dozens of new boats and boating products for 2016.
“The weather was perfect and helped make for an incredibly successful boat show,” said Nancy Piffard, show director, Newport Exhibition Group. “Based on exhibitor feedback, traffic quality was excellent and sales were strong. We also had a record number of 60 new product introductions including sailboats, powerboats, navigation products and boating gear. The mood of the show was very upbeat. We hope the Newport International Boat Show is indicative of a prosperous boat show season ahead and continued market growth for the boating industry.”
A highlight of the show was the Newport For New Products Awards. In particular, the Arabesque 50, which won for Best Sailboat Over 30 feet and Overall Best Sailboat attracted a great deal of attention. On selecting the Arabesque 50, one of the judges commented, “Arabesque is breathtaking! They paid attention to everything. It had all of the modern high-tech details in a classic design.”
The Hunt 32 was selected by a panel of experts as the Best Powerboat over 30 feet and Best Overall Powerboat. On selecting the Hunt 32, one of the judges stated, “The Hunt 32 is set up for fishing but perfect for family fun. The spacious below deck accommodations are easily accessible from the helm of the expanded center console. The Hunt pedigree has been around for decades and for good reason. It’s truly a lovely boat.”