The cancellation of the upcoming Miami International Boat Show is having ripple effects. The organizers of the big-boat Miami Yacht Show, plus its companion event SuperYacht Miami, have hit the pause button. Rather than an outright cancellation, though, the Miami Yacht is postponed, at least for now.
Originally set for February 11 to 15, the event was to be the 33rd annual edition. For much of its existence, it went by the name Yacht & Brokerage Show, for instance. Additionally, it long occupied the Indian Creek Waterway adjacent to the famous Collins Avenue in Miami Beach. For 2018, co-owners Informa, a trade-show specialist, and the International Yacht Brokers Association (IYBA) rechristened it the Miami Yacht Show. That same year, the event moved it downtown Miami, at One Herald Plaza.
The new location made it more convenient for visitors and exhibitors who additionally needed to visit the Miami International Boat Show (MIBS). Held concurrently, that annual event takes place at the Miami Marine Stadium Park & Basin, a water-taxi ride away. In fact, the organizer behind MIBS worked with Informa and IYBA to ensure exhibitors and attendees had access to regularly running water taxis as well as shuttle buses. Furthermore, the new location was closer to Island Gardens Marina, home to SuperYacht Miami, the large-superyacht-exclusive venue for Informa and IYBA.
Just days ago, however, MIBS cancelled, due to ongoing concerns over COVID-19. This, in turn, is why the Miami Yacht Show is postponed. “This is the first time in our 33-year history we have been faced with circumstances that have caused us to reschedule the Miami Yacht Show,” says Andrew Doole, general manager and vice president of Informa Markets U.S. Boat Shows.
“Reschedule” is the operative word. “As our key focus continues to be the improvement of the experience for our entire community, we are hopeful that we will be able to host an event later in the year,” Doole continues. “But we have to make that decision collectively with our community.”
Informa and IYBA pledge to reach out to exhibitors to gauge when and how to proceed. Overall, the Miami Yacht Show attracts about 400 yachts and megayachts, plus upwards of 200 exhibitors from 32 countries.
Miami Yacht Show miamiyachtshow.com
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