Sixty-fifth Genova Boat Show opens: record turnover for Italian boating industry

On Thursday 18 September the 65th edition of the Genova Boat Show opened its doors, with over 1000 vessels on display, 23 new shipyards, exhibitors from 45 countries, 123 new releases and 96 premieres. “The strength of the Genova Boat Show and its national and international authority – explains Piero Formenti, president of Confindustria Nautica – stems from being organised by companies for companies, who recognise the contexts where new markets emerge and build strategies, industrial policy, analyse market data, while the country’s business network continues to support a front-line presence, by both the government, and Confindustria.”

The opening conference, “Development, work and innovation for country growth” saw the participation of The Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso, representing Prime Minister Meloni, the Minister of Tourism Daniela Santanchè, the president of Confindustria Emanuele Orsini, the president of Agenzia ICE Matteo Zoppas and, for the first time, the participation of a foreign minister, Jared W. Perdue, Secretary of Transport for the state of Florida.

“This is significant recognition – notes Formenti – the government, economic institutions and the entrepreneurial system have chosen this Boat Show to highlight how the boating industry is not only a very relevant sector of the Blue Economy, but a strategic industry for Italy, with, over the past ten years, has had exports increase by 119%, double the average of the entire manufacturing sector, exceeding 4.5 billion euros, not forgetting the multi-year agreement between Confindustria Nautica and the 38th America’s Cup Event in support of the event scheduled in Naples for 2027, and the public awards ceremony of the Salone del trofeo on Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 September.”

“In sixty-five editions – adds the president of Confindustria Nautica – the Show has continued to evolve, remaining faithful to its mission: to give voice to businesses without betraying their expectations, proving itself capable of playing the role of anchor even through difficult times, as shown in 2008 and 2020. Even in the face of a global market slow down, except for in big boating, which we can see reflected in industry events, we expect high participation and a truly satisfactory edition, for both businesses and visitors.”

Schedule of events and conferences

Alongside the exhibit, the Show also acts as a laboratory for ideas and for the future: the FORUM25 program, supported by the European Commission, includes over 90 conferences and workshops. A number of in-depth panels are also on the schedule, like the European Boating Roundtable, in partnership with the European Boating Industry, the event, “Di sistema e di frontiera: il futuro della nautica, dalla Liguria per l’Italia“ organised by Quotidiano Nazionale in partnership with Confindustria Nautica, and the consolidated summit “Boating, Finance and Customs”, now a key point of reference for the Agenzia delle Entrate, Agenzia Dogane and Monopoli.

The new study by the Osservatorio Nautico Nazionale di Confindustria Nautica in parnership with the general management of MIT, is eagerly anticipated, as, for the first time it is tracing a profile of the pleasure boater, analysing the characteristics of owners and their vessels. A unique survey for Europe which will be a precious tool for businesses, policy makers and associations working with the new generation.

In regards to sustainability, there is the World Yachting Sustainability Forum, an international forum organised by Confindustria Nautica in partnership with the magazine International Boat Industry, now in its fourth edition. This will be followed by a roundtable on ESG criteria for boating, organised by Confindustria Nautica, BPER Banca and RINA, who, together, have developed the “Sustainable Finance Lab“ project, to promote further knowledge of ESG and sustainable finance through the development of financial tools and services dedicated to the boating sector, in support of creating plans for ecological, energetic and sustainability transition.

In addition, ISO 20121 Certification is in its final phase; this certifies the sustainable design of the 65th International Boat Show, this important achievement highlights how Italian pleasure boating and its central boat show are continuing to invest in a sustainable future. Future, innovation and vision will also be at the heart of the sixth edition of the Design Innovation Award, on Friday 19 September at Palazzo Ducale, which will yet again recognise the skills of exhibiting businesses in being ahead of the times and dictate international trends.

Monday, 22 September, will instead be dedicated to Confindustria events, with the 11th  Conferenza nazionale sul turismo nautico promoted by Federturismo Confindustria and the Forum dell’industria della Blue Economy, an event promoted by Confindustria alongside Gruppo Tecnico Economia del Mare that sees institutions, businesses and the academic world debate on shared and concrete objectives, demonstrating how the Boat Show is a space for debate and discussion for local development and nurturing the sea as a cultural and economic resource.  For the first time, the Boat Show will also be host to the Assemblea plenaria della Conferenza dei Presidenti delle Assemblee legislative delle Regioni e delle Province autonome.

Business, sustainability and innovation will find a natural connection with start ups, which present cutting edge solutions that will be celebrated during a dedicated event on Saturday 20 September and commended during the Design Innovation Award: bridging the present with the future and new generations. And it is the new generations that the Boat Show is looking to. Two events have been arranged for secondary schools, focusing on training and work: “Nautica: orientarsi in un mare di opportunità” and “Nautica da diporto: le Istituzioni in sinergia con le imprese. Lavoro, formazione, apprendistato, orientamento scolastico“, both scheduled for Monday, 22 September.

In addition, a reduced ticket has been introduced for Under 25s, while, among the new events organised for this edition is the Tech Trade Days 2025 initiative, running on 18 and 19 September, with a B2B format focusing on the latest industry news with over 400 brands in boating accessories and components, dedicated to business, technology and professional networking.

Record turnover for the Italian boating industry in 2024: 8.60 billion euros (+3.2%)

On Wednesday 17 September, in the Sala Forum at the show, the Boating Economic Forecast conference took place, with the presentation of the latest edition of Nautica in Cifre – LOG, the only statistical industry report published by the Research Division of Confindustria in partnership with Fondazione Edison.

“The overall data for the pleasure boating industry in 2024 – announces Formenti – are positive: turnover for the Italian industrial segment has grown by 3.2%, reaching historic highs of 8.60 billion euros. Growth has been spearheaded by the luxury range and superyacht segment, which remain global leaders, while small boating industry has had a -10% drop in turnover. The difficulties for this segment derive from a combination of factors, including interference in certain markets caused by elevated stock of pleasure boats, growing geopolitical tension, a drop in consumer confidence, alongside a highly complicated bureaucratic regimen at a national level.”

“Based on the opinions of some of the principle Italian operators – notes Stefano Pagani Isnardi, manager of the Studies Department for Confindustria Nautica – the causes of this trouble for the smaller boating industries, along with the uncertainty caused by American tariffs, could lead to a slowdown of the entire segment globally even in 2025. Entrepreneurs are expecting things to pick up in 2026/2027: a prelude to this inversion may also be seen in the performance of our International Boat Show, where new models and attentive reception of new market trends could spark renewed customer confidence in the segment.”

2024 normalised growth after a long post-pandemic cycle which lead to turnover doubling over the past four years. Analyses confirm that overall the Italian boating industry is holding strong as well as the evident gap between the higher end of the industry and small industry in Italy. Overall turnover (8.60 billion euros) came from the domestic market eith 2.55 billion euros (equivalent to 29.7%) and foreign markets with 6.05 billion euros (equivalent to 70.3%).

87.8^ of overall turnover int he industry has been created through national production, which was equivalent to 7.55 billion euros, and the internationalisation of the industry is highlighted by the shares in exports equivalent to 78% (5.90 billion). Employment has reached 31,480 units (+2.6%) and GDP contribution has risen to 7.40 billion euros (3.37% of national GDP). Among the main performance drivers for 2024 is the role of shipbuilding; the sector working in the construction of new units has reached 5.4 billion euros; 89% of national manufacturing in Italian shipbuilding has been sold to foreign markets.

“In 2024, Italy – notes Marco Fortis, manager and vice-president of Fondazione Edison – confirmed itself to be the top country for shipbuilding exports in the world . The export of pleasure and sports boats has superseded 4.3 billion euros (+7.5% from 2023) with a propensity for exporting national production of around 90%. The USA remains one of the most relevant markets, in particular for units under 24 metres, although uncertainty on tariffs have influenced orders. This reinforces the need to diversify markets and promote the role of industry shows as business platforms and new international partnership opportunities.”

Confirming our country’s leadership in the specific sectors of pleasure boats and yachts with inboard engines, is the Global Order Book 2024, a special ranking elaborated yearly by the magazine, Showboats international, which has positioned Italian industry at the top in terms of superyacht orders, with 572 yachts under construction, equivalent to 50%.  This is followed by Turkey (with 146 yachts under construction), the Netherlands (69 yachts) and the United Kingdom (81 yachts).

“Pleasure and sports boats” area also among the sengmetns that, at the beginning of the new millenium, registered the highest growth in exports: considering only the most relevant manufacturing sectors for Italian commerce, meaning those that in 2024 have a surplus of over 2 billion euros, the “pleasure and sports boat” segment is in fifth place for export growth. In particular, segment exports have gone from 850 million euros in 2000 to 4.3 billion in 2024, recording a nominal growth of +405.8%.

By Daily Nautica