"This year the Interboot was slow for us, but that was due to the visitors. We are very satisfied with the event itself. The customers were also very knowledgeable, but we would have liked to have sold a little more," says André Busse, Managing Director of Bodenseenautic Busse GmbH, a rather sobering trade fair balance. Richard Gründl, managing director of Gründl Bootsimport GmbH & Co. KG, also complains: "We were less satisfied with the visitors than in previous years. It felt like they were less and, above all, few with the intention to buy."
Meik Lessig, Managing Director of Enjoy Yachting Vertriebs GmbH, has a similar view, but at the same time he points out a crucial difference: "The fair was good, but a bit weak during the week very happy that the motorboat halls in particular are very good. Our expectations were already met on the penultimate day of the fair."
Especially during the week, the rush in the sailboat hall was quite manageable
While it was very quiet in the sailing hall, especially during the week, there was a great atmosphere among many motorboat yards and their dealers. For example, Hans Roelants, General Manager of EMESeRay Boats, is pleased: "The entire trade fair was very successful for us, despite some other voices from fellow exhibitors." He is not alone in this. As early as the middle of the week, some motorboat providers recorded sales growth in the double-digit range.
Market shift in favor of motorboat providers
These different moods are no coincidence. Torsten Conradi, President of the German Boat and Shipbuilding Association, explains that regardless of the current climate protection debate, "there is a market shift away from sailing boats and towards motor boats".
Motorboat dealers and shipyards were able to look forward to lively interest
The trade fair organizers cannot be indifferent to this. But as long as the losses of some are compensated by gains from the other, there is little reason for them to complain. "Interboot, the second largest water sports trade fair in Germany, has once again opened up to a well-funded and interested public," said trade fair boss Klaus Wellmann. And Interboot division manager Dirk Kreidenweiß added: "After our impressions and discussions, our exhibitors did a good job overall and also sold well."
Visitor numbers slightly in the red
A total of 83,300 visitors were counted. In the previous year there were 86,500 visitors after 86,400 in 2017 and 90,500 visitors three years ago. The figures are all based solely on the information provided by the trade fair company. Unlike boot Düsseldorf, for example, this does not have the interboot data checked by the trade fair association. The association "corrects" the visitor numbers officially stated by the exhibition companies, usually downwards.
The exhibitors from Switzerland also draw a positive balance after nine days of Interboot. Beat Plüss, President of the Swiss Boat Builders Association and SNG Managing Director, sums up: "We were able to hold good talks with customers during the Interboot and were able to establish contacts with many shipyards. In a few weeks we will be able to draw a more precise conclusion."
SonjMeichle also relies on this - true to the motto that hope dies last. The managing director of Ultramarin, Meichle + Mohr Marins and vice-president of the Federal Association of the Water Sports Industry, explains: "The follow-up business will show how much sales we made at the Interboot."
The lecture program at the YACHT stand was once again a crowd puller