From 18 to 23 September, Genoa will host the 65th Salone Nautico Internazionale, a strategic event for the entire global recreational boating industry. Over 1,000 boats, 23 new shipyards and exhibitors from 45 countries will be present in the Ligurian capital, along with 123 new products and 96 premieres.
Officially presented on 3 September at the Italian Stock Exchange in Milan, the event disclosed the results of the last edition in a challenging international context, with a general slowdown in trade fairs in line with the overall contraction of the global market recorded in 2024.
The press conference also saw the announcement of a multi-year collaboration agreement between Confindustria Nautica and the 38th America’s Cup Event to support the Italian nautical industry in organising the 2027 event in Naples, which will be signed during the event on 20 September.
65th Salone Nautico Internazionale: the global context
During the meeting, the third edition of “The State of the Art of the Global Yachting Market” was presented, which analyses the dynamics of the sector at an international level. According to Deloitte’s analysis for Confindustria Nautica, 2023 was a record year for the global shipbuilding industry, while estimates for 2024 show a stabilisation with an expected contraction of around -5%, with the premium and large yacht segment bucking the trend, expected to grow between 5% and 10% depending on the market segment. New trade tensions could weigh on the sector’s performance, with US tariffs likely to have a greater impact on small and medium-sized boats.
Italy, thanks to its production mix heavily concentrated in the superyacht segment, is expected to continue to grow.
More attention to young people
65th Salone Nautico Internazionale – https://salonenautico.com/ – will open with the inaugural conference ‘Development, work and innovation for the growth of the country’, which will be attended by institutions and the President of Confindustria Emanuele Orsini.
In terms of cohesion policies, the show will host the plenary assembly of the Conference of Presidents of the Legislative Assemblies of the Regions and Autonomous Provinces for the first time.
Particular attention will be paid to young people, with ad hoc initiatives dedicated to start-ups and schools, training and work, as well as targeted campaigns and incentives to encourage the participation of the younger generation.
Rounding off the programme is the TechTrade Days 2025 initiative on 18 and 19 September, with a B2B format dedicated to the latest industry news, featuring over 400 brands of nautical accessories and components, dedicated to business, technology and professional networking.