September 29, 2024
Friedrichshafen – For five days, the Friedrichshafen exhibition grounds showcased boats, yachts, trend sports equipment, accessories, and maritime fashion. The 63rd edition of the international water sports exhibition attracted some 40,100 visitors (compared to 41,200 in 2023) who came to experience the many premieres, the informative lecture series, the engaging shows on the Fair Lake, and the opportunity to try out some of the watercraft on offer at the Interboot Marina. “Presented for the first time in a condensed format, this year’s edition of Interboot was a resounding success,” says Managing Director of Messe Friedrichshafen Klaus Wellmann, summing up the event that took place over the previous week. “The overall mood among the exhibiting companies was predominantly positive. Many successfully concluded deals and now anticipate positive outcomes in the business being finalized in the aftermath of the fair.” Project Manager Felix Klarmann also expresses his satisfaction by adding: “All the hard work paid off. We implemented numerous changes to the concept and are pleased that the new Interboot format garnered such a positive response.
Lots to see and do in the exhibition halls and the hands-on program
From September 25 to 29, there was a wealth of experiences to be had and discoveries to be made across eight large halls and the outdoor area. Combining the admission ticket with the InterDive diving and travel trade fair ensured a lively flow of visitors between the two water sports exhibitions. Participation was especially high at the Fair Lake, the Interboot Marina, and Interboard Hall A5, as well as at the trailer maneuvering training in the newly designated Camping and Towing Vehicle Hall B4. Influencer and content creator Ben Beholz imparted his knowledge and expertise to those wishing to give pump foils a try while the “Skimhomies” demonstrated their skill on short surfboards in the shallow water pool. Meanwhile, the opportunity to try out a variety of boats on short voyages departing from the Interboot Marina offered visitors the chance to experience Lake Constance firsthand. The stage presentations at the Travel & Sailing Center drew large crowds, and several workshops and seminars at the Interboot Academy were fully booked prior to the start of the fair. “We attended the trade fair again for the first time in years and were absolutely thrilled,” commented one user on Google, while another added: “Many sailing and motor yachts are exhibited at appealing booths, accompanied by experts providing competent advice. The insightful and informative conversations at Interboot are a highlight, and we look forward to returning. Keep up the good work!”
Exhibiting companies pleased with the success of the fair
The feedback from exhibitors and represented companies is also uniformly positive. “We are extremely pleased with the new five-day duration of the fair. In all our time as exhibitors, we have never experienced a trade fair day quite like Saturday. It’s hard to believe what unfolded here from 10 am until the end of the fair. We achieved 81 percent of last year’s turnover in just four days. We are truly speechless,” says a delighted Sonja Meichle, Managing Director of Ultramarin Meichle & Mohr. Michael Zupritt, Managing Director of MIZU Marine, exudes enthusiasm as well. “The fair was a tremendous success for us; we sold both of our trade fair boats. On Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, we had a really good crowd at our stand, visitors who were both knowledgeable and genuinely interested in purchasing boats. We’ve already reserved our spot at the fair next year.”Karsten Baas, Managing Director of Hanse Vertriebs GmbH & Co KG, has long been an advocate for shortening the duration of the fair. “The visitors arrive in a more concentrated manner, and we have many in-depth discussions regarding our new Hanse yacht.”
Customers appreciate expanded trade fair offerings of Interboot and InterDive
Anke Heesen, Account Manager of the British Virgin Islands Tourist Board, is also a proponent of shortening the fair to five days: “I was very enthusiastic about reducing the duration of the trade fair, as it is more practical in terms of staffing and expenses. We experienced a high volume of visitors from the very first day of the fair, including a strong influx of visitors from Switzerland.” Anke Heesen highlights the combination of Interboot and InterDive as a further plus. “The two fairs complement each other very well; many of our customers are divers and appreciate the broader range of offerings at the combined fair.” Beat Plüss, Managing Director of SNG, is a “fair returnee” who says: “We engaged in constructive discussions and touched base with current and prospective customers. We had a significant number of interested visitors at our booth, especially on Wednesday and Thursday. Friedrichshafen is certainly a great location for those of us from Switzerland. By acquiring new business in the region of southern Germany, we can tap into new markets and expand our customer base.”
“An excellent opportunity to showcase ourselves in southern Germany!”
The new Caravan and Towing Vehicle Hall was also well received: “We are truly pleased with our presence in the newly established caravan area at Interboot,” says Christoph Ruderer, Managing Director of Camperforyou. “Demand is excellent, and we sold a vehicle on the very first day. The fair was fantastic, and the crowd was very good. We are extremely pleased with the results and will definitely return.” Jens Falkenberg, founder and owner of Stoked Zone, expressed his admiration for the trade fair venue. “The close proximity to Lake Constance makes it an excellent location for surfing. For those of us from Hamburg, this is an excellent opportunity to showcase ourselves in southern Germany.” Jens Jung, Junior Director of Wassersport Europa, also has praise for the personal connection he has established with the Interboot team: “We appreciate the highly collaborative approach, which has been simply outstanding. I’m confident that we’ll return next year.”
Additional information:
Interboot 2025 is scheduled for September 24 to 28. Further information is available on the Internet at www.interboot.de and www.facebook.de/interboot, or www.instagram.com/interboot.friedrichshafen.