The Genoa International Boat Show (Salone Nautico Internazionale di Genova) returned for its 65th edition last week, reporting steady growth – with figures including a 2.8 per cent increase in the number of visitors (124,248) – and a successful showcase of Made in Italy merchandise.
The event, which took place from 18 - 23 September, held a display of more than 1,000 boats and yachts, which included a record-breaking 96 premieres - more than triple that of the figure last year.
Held in the capital city of the northwest region of Liguria, the boat show is Italy’s largest nautical event, recognised across the country as the capital of Italian and global recreational boating.
"The Genoa Boat Show is the great showcase of Made in Italy, the place where our country expresses its finest excellence: from design to furnishings, from furniture to clothing, to the most advanced technologies," said Piero Formenti, President of Confindustria Nautica. "Strengthening these events means restoring strength to the entire nation."
Traditionally host to boats under 24 metres, the show has seen growth year-on-year in the size of vessels (by LOA) – evidenced by the appearance of Sanlorenzo’s 50-metre Almax last year. This year, the lineup also welcomed multiple superyachts, including two new models from Azimut, the Fly82 and the Grande 30M, both of which were making their Italian debuts, and Ferretti Group’s Ferretti Yachts 800.
The largest vessel in attendance was the 36.5-metre Polar Fox, the latest Amer 120 model from Permare Group's Amer Yachts brand, closely followed by Sanlorenzo’s 33.5-metre SL110A - another yacht making her debut to the Italian market.
"We're happy to have the biggest boat at the show here in Genoa!" Amer Yachts' refit & repair manager, Noemie Amerio, told BOATPro during the show. "We've exhibited here since the show's inception. My grandad, the founder of our yard, attended the first edition 65 years ago. It's important for us to be here because it's the biggest show in Italy and our yachts are completely Made in Italy, so we're proud to be a part of that."
"Genoa Boat Show is also now really important for the entire market, and we ourselves have a lot of Italian clients," Amerio added. "Every year seems to be getting better, with better clients and better contacts."
Joining the showcase of vessels were 23 shipyards, exhibitors from 45 countries and 123 new products on display. Amongst the exhibiting brands were British yards Sunseeker and Princess, who, despite production remaining in the UK, see continued demand from the Italian market.
"We've always been very successful in Italy," Chris Head, director of sales for Sunseeker, told BOATPro. "It's a massive boating area, mainly for the Italians, of course, but also for those who come down here to use this picturesque playground. We've been selling boats in this region for many years."
Data from BOATPro showed 17 yachts over 24 metres in the show, all of which were motor yachts, with the total length accumulating to 474 metres and the average length equalling 24.5 metres. The total volume of yachts was 2,341GT, with an average volume of 138GT.
Alongside the monumental display of vessels and nautical products, the Genoa Boat Show is also a platform for annual forums and conferences discussing key topics within the maritime industry. This year’s show held 132 conferences and events, including the fourth edition of the World Yachting Sustainability Forum, organised by BOAT International’s sister publication, IBI, and the European Commission to discuss how sustainability is transforming the boating industry.
The forum welcomed industry representatives to the panel, including new Ferretti Group chief commercial officer, Giordano Pellacani, Azimut-Benetti's chief product officer, Alessandro Rossi, and renowned yacht designer Dan Lenard, who offered insights into the current and future state of the yachting industry.
The mayor of Genoa, Silvia Salis, was one of several dignitaries from Genoa, Italy and the wider nautical industry to open the event on 18 September, which was marked with the national anthem, the raising of the flag and the passing of the Italian Navy’s missile frigate, Schergat (F 598), with its cannons raised.
“The Genoa International Boat Show presents itself to the world with ambition and a desire for growth and improvement, proudly representing Italian excellence,” Salis said. “We are presenting this boat show to the world: it is Genoa’s greatest international brand.”
For the first time in its inception, the show also welcomed a US political representative – the secretary of transportation of the state of Florida, Jared Perdue – who spoke of a shared commitment between the two countries to continue strengthening their partnership.
Notably, this year's edition stood out for its strong international momentum, mostly fuelled by new agreements with leading national and global institutions. One of which saw the Italian Marine Industry Association partner with the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup in Genoa to "channel companies towards the event" in Naples in 2027.
The 66th edition of the Genoa International Boat Show will take place between 17 to 22 September 2026.
Read More/Naples named host city for the 38th America’s Cup in 2027