UPDATE, MARCH 17, 2020: The Palm Beach International Boat Show will return from May 14 to 17.
Read on for our original article.
The Palm Beach International Boat Show and the two independent superyacht shows set for later this month are now off the schedule. In fact, organizers for two of these three Palm Beach boat shows have postponed them. Organizers behind the third show cancelled it. The reasons are the same, however: the ongoing concerns about the coronavirus, as well as travel bans.
The two independent superyacht shows were the Superyacht Show Palm Beach and the Superyacht Experience. The former was to take place at the Flagler Museum. It was under the management of Informa, which additionally organizes the annual Palm Beach International Boat Show. The Superyacht Experience, meanwhile, was a joint effort between two trade organizations. The Large Yacht Brokers Association (LYBRA) and the Superyacht Builders Association (SYBAss) planned to showcase select yachts at Rybovich.
Just last Friday, Informa issued a statement saying the Palm Beach boat shows would continue, despite coronavirus concerns. Today, however, Informa changed the homepage of the show website to indicate the event is postponed until further notice. It further links to the World Health Organization’s website regarding the virus. In addition, in a statement, the company references state and local officials urging “to suspend all mass gatherings over contagion concerns.” The statement also says, “We are currently working with the City of West Palm Beach to identify a new date.”
Also today, LYBRA and SYBAss issued a joint statement. “We had an incredible lineup of superyachts confirmed for the show, overwhelming industry support, and strong interest from buyers,” Raphael Sauleau, LYBRA’s president, says. “But health and safety is of course the top priority.” Theo Hooning, secretary general for SYBAss, adds, “The current restrictions affecting Italian citizens as well as flights from Europe unfortunately mean that many of our members are now unable to travel to the US. These limitations, along with our overriding concern for public welfare, means that we are left with no option but to cancel the 2020 event.”
The Superyacht Experience will instead celebrate its inaugural edition in Palm Beach next year.
Palm Beach International Boat Show pbboatshow.com
Superyacht Show Palm Beach superyachtshowpalmbeach.com
The Superyacht Experience superyachtexperience.com
Leave a Reply