Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show 2025 flies Italian colours

by Confindustria Nautica 5 Nov 18:10 NZDT

Confindustria Nautica presents the 66th Genoa International Boat Show (1 - 6 October 2026) to the US and the World

Riding the wave of a successful 65th edition of the Genoa International Boat Show, the global spotlight is shining once more on Italian excellence at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show 2025 (29th October - 2nd November), the leading US trade event dedicated to recreational boating.

The event in Florida, a strategic moment on the international calendar of promoting Italian boating, was held at the Italian Collective's venue at FL IBS on Thursday 30th October, in collaboration with the Italian Trade Agency Miami (the ITA's regional office for boating in the United States).

The Lounge, organised by the Italian Trade Agency and Confindustria Nautica, the Italian Marine Industry Association, at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show continues to act as a key reference point in the US not only for the companies belonging to the Italian collective taking part, but also for the numerous Italian companies operating across the boating sector present at the show. A representative space where people can meet, develop relationships and foster new business opportunities. Already appreciated for its effectiveness as a networking platform, the Lounge will be further expanded in the next edition to further strengthen its role as a hub for Italian recreational boating at the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show.

After an institutional welcome by the new Director of the Italian Trade Agency's Miami office, Marco Verna, the Director of the New York office and Coordinator of the ITA-USA network, Erica Di Giovancarlo, and the Consul General of Italy in Miami, Michele Mistò, the President of Confindustria Nautica, Piero Formenti, presented the 66th edition of the Genoa International Boat Show to a crowd of operators and visitors.

The dates announced for the 2026 edition - 1st to 6th October 2026 - reaffirm the value and identity of the trade show and mark a new stage in its growth and consolidation, demonstrating the Genoa Boat Show's ability to interpret the market and driver real economic development for the entire global supply chain.

With its tried and tested format of five boat shows in one, showcasing and promoting the boating industry in all its segments, the 66th edition will further strengthen the Genoa Boat Show's role as an essential asset for the entire sector, in line with the event's international positioning strategy.

"Taking part in the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show is an important step when it comes to internationalising boats Made in Italy," stated Piero Formenti, President of Confindustria Nautica. "The United States is a strategic market, and the strong presence of Italian companies only confirms their competitive edge. Presenting the 66th edition of the Genoa International Boat Show in this international context means reaffirming the event's central role on the world stage, promoting the value and vision of Italian boating throughout global markets."

The US remains one of the most important reference markets for Italian boating, with exports reaching $647 million in 2024, equal to 14% of recreational craft exports. According to data from the latest edition of Nautica in Cifre - LOG, the statistical report periodical produced by Confindustria Nautica's Research Department and presented at the 65th Genoa International Boat Show, 2024 data show how the Italian recreational boating industry recorded a total turnover of €8.6 billion, upholding the growth trend recorded in recent years. Italy also maintains its global leadership in the superyacht sector, which accounts for 50.3% of the global market, confirming its position as the world's leading exporter of recreational craft, with a total value of €4.3 billion.

The internationalisation activities carried out by Confindustria Nautica and the Genoa International Boat Show will continue after Fort Lauderdale with Metstrade in Amsterdam, the industry-leading event for marine components and tech, scheduled to take place from 18th to 20th November 2025. The initiative will see the participation of a collective featuring 78 Italian companies within the Italian Pavilion, organised in collaboration with the Italian Trade Agency.