Organizer plans upgrades to Fort Lauderdale show

Informa Exhibitions, which manages and produces the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, said it is making infrastructure improvements to marketing, digital software and lodging to support year-round interactions between consumers and exhibitors.

“The investments Informa Exhibitions is making in infrastructure, technology and the consumer experience will enhance the show’s appeal to exhibitors, attendees and sponsors,” Informa Exhibitions Boating Group general manager Andrew Doole said in a statement. “These improvements will help ensure the Fort Lauderdale International Boat show’s worldwide reputation as the industry’s leading annual event.”

This year’s FLIBS is scheduled for Nov. 1-5 and will have displays at seven locations: the Bahia Mar Fort Lauderdale Beach and Yachting Center, the Hall of Fame Marina, the Las Olas Municipal Marina, Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina, Sails Marina, Hyatt Regency Pier 66 Marina and the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center.

Among the improvements that Informa plans to make are new plastic and fiberglass floating docks, electrical equipment, trucks and improved tent flooring. Updated wayfinding graphics and signage will make it easier for attendees to navigate the show.

In addition to the on-site improvements, exhibitors and consumers will benefit from platforms and resources that Informa will provide to foster year-round connectivity, the company said.

Software will help plan and manage consumer visits to the show with a “walking list” of exhibitors and products. Sales sheets, technical specifications, marketing materials and videos will be downloadable by consumers year-round. Along the same lines, exhibitors will be able to access customer information from searches for specific products.

A new advertising and marketing approach will consist of a multi-channel advertising campaign with location remarketing and elevated involvement in community partnerships, Informa also said the sponsorship programs have been refocused to improve a sponsor’s return on investment.

Lastly, hotel booking resources will offer a mix of brands and locations through a reservation system affiliated with the show.

Earlier this year, Informa PLC purchased Show Management, the company that managed the Fort Lauderdale show since 1976. Informa Exhibitions currently delivers more than 200 industry events across the world annually, including the Monaco Yacht Show.

Owned by the Marine Industries Association of South Florida and managed and produced by Informa Exhibitions, the Fort Lauderdale show is the largest boat show in the world in terms of gross exhibitor space and number of vessels.

The show attracts about 100,000 attendees, 1,000 exhibitors and more than 1,200 boats each November and is widely regarded as the top annual boating event where consumers and the global marine industry gather to buy, sell, meet up and see what is new.