FLIBS 2022: Informa Markets on the Growth of the Largest In-Water Boat Show in the World

‘It's great to have everybody back from Europe’ commented Andrew Doole, President of the U.S. Boat Shows for Informa Markets. ‘Last year we had a very successful show and I think that looking at the numbers [for this year], it's very similar. I think we’re on track to sell a lot of boats and the attendance is very strong…’

The 2021 edition of FLIBS was a spectacular achievement for Informa Markets and FLIBS owners, the Marine Industries Association of South Florida (MIASF), with the show recorded as having contributed a record-breaking $1.79 billion to Florida’s economy. 

So, how did Informa Markets come to organise the largest in-water boat show in the world, and now also one of the most successful? ‘Informa some time ago bought some trade shows, one of them being the Monaco Yacht Show (MYS),’ explained the President, ‘once they [Informa] had MYS, they looked at increasing their portfolio…so now we have five shows here in the US: Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Palm Beach, and then two on the West Coast, Sarasota and St. Pete.’

Marking five years since Informa Markets took over the production of FLIBS, the 2022 show had plenty to offer its visitors. The iconic Fort Lauderdale location of the Broward County Convention Center returned this year, filled with hundreds of exhibitors and small boats on display. ‘It's great to have that back as a component of the show’, added Andrew Doole.

Alongside the return of the Center, Doole told us how the show has been able to welcome more brokerage yachts this year than ever before, highlighting, ‘I think that there is more product on the market this year.’

The Informa Markets President revealed that, already, plenty is on the horizon for next year's show, with lots of improvements planned for the Superyacht Village, and the availability for superyachts at the show. ‘We’ve already started work on next year and it's going to be bigger and better than this year.’