The Palma International Boat Show warms up to celebrate its 40th anniversary

The Palma International Boat Show (PIBS) reaches its 40th anniversary with a participation figure of 295 exhibitors, 24 more than the previous year, which is a record for the organizers.

Due to the high business demand to be part of the show, it has been decided to rearrange the exhibition and limit the contracting space with the aim of having a wider range of quality and attractive nautical products for the thousands of professionals and enthusiasts who visit the show. As for the number of boats at sea, the figure is similar and stands at 260 compared to 252 last year, as the lengths remain the same. In total, visitors will be able to enjoy some 600 boats on land and at sea.

The Councillor for Enterprise, Employment and Energy, Alejandro Sáenz de San Pedro, presented the 40th edition of the fair, which will be held from the 25th to the 28th of April, this morning at the fairgrounds. Also participating in the event were the president of the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands, Javier Sanz, the manager of the Institute for Business Innovation of the Balearic Islands (IDI), Silvia Delgado, the president of Balearic Marine Cluster, Toni Salom, and the president of the Association of Marine Industries of the Balearic Islands (AENIB), Jaume Vaquer. The PIBS is organized by the Ministry of Enterprise, Employment and Energy, through the IDI, and the Balearic Yacht Brokers Association (BYBA).

The councilor emphasized that "the PIBS is celebrating its 40th anniversary, setting goals for future editions that will make the fair an international benchmark for the sector". In this sense, this year the economic impact of the fair will be measured thanks to the collaboration with the Directorate General of Economy and Statistics of the Regional Ministry of Economy, Finance and Innovation. The aim is to confirm the position of the nautical event as an economic engine for the city and even for all the islands. To do this, the direct and indirect expenditure generated by exhibitors and visitors during the fair, and in the days before and after.

On the other hand, the organization, aware of the importance of sustainability in the current context and its impact on the marine environment and the local community, has initiated certification as a sustainable event, which is one that is committed to minimizing its carbon footprint, promoting inclusion and equality, and raising awareness of the importance of responsible practices. As such, this year, among other initiatives, the carbon footprint will be measured and a reduction plan will be developed.

The 40th anniversary will be the focus of many of this year's activities, such as The Balearic Superyacht Forum, organized by the Balearic Marine Cluster and sponsored by the IDI. Toni Salom said that this initiative, to be held on the 24th and the 25th of April, "started four years ago as an idea and has now become an event of international scope. We are proud to present and celebrate the first edition of a forum that we hope will be the first of many, thanks to the excellent reception from the local and international industry.

The president of AENIB, Jaume Vaquer recalled that "the history of this event has been linked to the growth of the Balearic marine industry, so we are proud to have witnessed the evolution of this fair that has become mature, professional and representative of the current sector.

For his part, Javier Sanz has assured that "for the Port Authority it is always an incentive to collaborate in the organization of the PIBS, and with special enthusiasm this edition in which we are celebrating 40 years. Once again, we would like to thank our concessionaires and staff for their efforts in taking part in this event".  

The fair organizers want the 40th anniversary celebration to be a tribute and a thank you to the companies that have been part of this project over the years and have consolidated it as one of the most important on the international calendar. Public-private collaboration has been one of the pillars of the growth in quality and quantity of the Palma International Boat Show.

To this end, the organizers will award the Marcial Sánchez Barcaiztegui Prize to the company Comercial Morey, which has participated in all the editions of the show. In addition, tribute will be paid to Alcudiamar and the Alcúdia Town Hall, which hosted the first edition of the event.

Finally, on the 26th of April, the fairgrounds will host activities to celebrate the 40th anniversary with visitors and exhibitors. From 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., the fair's public will be able to enjoy music and entertainment groups. From 8 p.m. onwards, the exhibitors will be the stars of the celebration, which will end with a drone show visible from different parts of the city.