GENOA INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW - 2009

Genoa 49th International Boat Show was officially opened by the Italian Minister for Infrastructures Altero Matteoli. The first General Assembly of the Boating Industry (organised by UCINA, the Italian Marine Industry Association) was held on the opening day in order to draw the Italian Government's attention to some of the leading issues in this sector. On the same day, in the evening, the new Pavilion B was officially opened in the presence of its creator, architect Jean Nouvel.
Genoa Boat Show confirmed its worldwide leadership, with 2,400 crafts on display (570 of which in the sea), 1,450 participating companies, and 280,500 visitors, all figures witnessing the boating sector’s great commitment to recovery in a period of crisis. Genoa 49th Boat Show's flagships were Barracuda by Perini Navi among sailing boats and Bikini Queen 2 by Drettmann among power boats. Seventy-six side events took place during the show, including conferences, debates, presentations, and seminars, with a special focus on nautical tourism & the environment, the boating industry supply chain, training and the need for common policies for the Mediterranean Sea. A day was devoted to worldwide sailing, with the presentation - in the presence of Torben Grael and Grant Dalton - of the challenges that will be launched by Yacht Club Italiano and Yacht Club Costa Smeralda at the next edition of the Volvo Ocean Race. The Navigar M’è Dolce Water Stadium, set up at the Old Port for demonstrations and trials with centreboards and canoes and for demo rescue operations, attracted as many as two thousand five hundred children. Among political leaders and VIPs were the Italian Minister for Tourism Michela Vittoria Brambilla, the Italian Minister for Economic Development Claudio Scajola, and the President of Confindustria (the Confederation of Italian Industries) Emma Marcegaglia. Over 1,600 journalists representing 27 countries were accredited by the Press Centre, while the Internet site was visited by almost half a million people (three and a half million visited pages).

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