With three months to go before opening day, the organizers of the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (FLIBS) have improvements planned to make your time there better. Consider it FLIBS’s fresh approach.
In fact, you’ll notice it the moment you arrive. From October 31 to November 4, the main entrance will be farther along Seabreeze Boulevard. It will be easier to navigate, too. For years, that entrance sat adjacent to the Bahia Mar Hotel. Now, however, it’s closer to the International Swimming Hall of Fame. Though renderings aren’t available, the entrance has a new design as well. It will be akin to a plaza, with better-organized security along with separate VIP and exhibitor entry. “First impressions are crucial,” explains Andrew Doole, general manager for the U.S. boat shows of Informa, the show organizer. (Informa additionally runs the Monaco Yacht Show, among others.)
The “old” entrance isn’t eliminated, however. FLIBS is instead dedicating it to exhibitors, to handle move-in and move-out operations.
FLIBS’s fresh approach applies to dining options as well. The organizers are collaborating with Proof of the Pudding, a catering company specializing in large-scale outdoor events. The show will have themed food stations, such as the French Riviera for French food and Cabo San Lucas for Mexican food. Italian, Caribbean, and Greek cuisines are also in the plans. Plus, you can try specialty cocktails, fine wines, and craft beers.
Finally, for the environmentally minded among you, FLIBS is eliminating plastic straws.
Now in its 59th year, FLIBS is renowned as the world’s largest in-water boat show. More than 1,500 vessels are in the water, from small runabouts to super-size superyachts. About 1,200 exhibitors from 52 countries attend, too, along with 110,000 visitors, according to the organizers.
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