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The world’s most famous B2B expo in the yachtcharter industry, a project of the Croatian Yachtmaster Group, has gathered representatives of this
industry from 45 countries for the last six years, for whom it was the only opportunity to meet with business partners over 7,000 pre-arranged meetings. In these pandemic conditions, they offered a new technological solution for an industry which needs help more than ever: the virtual fair International Charter Expo.
The only major nautical boat show in the first half of 2021 will take place from 27 to 29 April 2021 and will replicate the successful model that replaced last year’s canceled physical ICE which was supposed to gather over 1,500 participants from around the world. The first digital B2B yacht charter expo was nominated for the Best Virtual Event 2020 award by the Virtual Events Institute for its innovation.
“Last year was an‘ interesting ’year for everyone, and the yachting industry was no exception. Given that many B2B and B2C yachting events were canceled due to the pandemic, the idea of digital ICE could not have come at a better time. ICE team has done a great job, they have enabled us hundreds of online business meetings through their platform. Beautiful graphics simulating a nautical boat show, software for smooth organization of meetings and timely support of the ICE team made the first virtual fair in the nautical sector extremely successful. “- Elpida Barbaresou, Yacht4Less, United Kingdom.
Digital ICE in April will once again provide the industry with a unique business development model: company representatives will have 54 appointments available using Handshake matchmaking software. Video meetings will be held for 30 minutes, in 350 virtual meeting rooms; each company will have its own virtual booth with personalized avatars, there will be the possibility of sharing screens and setting up online brochures for visitors… The expo will bring together charters, agencies, booking systems and suppliers from more than 35 countries in a virtual environment striving to bring the look and feel of a real expo closer to digital solutions. Registrations for ICE’21 will be open from February 24 until March 29, 2021.
The cancellation of boat shows such as the BOOT Dusseldorf, the Austrian Boat Show, the Cannes Yachting Festival, the United States Sailboat Show and the Salon Nautique in Paris has made meetings between 4,000 exhibitors from the nautical industry impossible. The canceled shows were supposed to make up for more than 30 days of meetings for nautical charter professionals from over 100 countries, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization of such fairs will not be possible for some time to come. Given that many boat shows have been canceled and in 2021 digital ICE is for now the only way charters, agents and suppliers can meet before the start of the summer season. Meeting with business partners is crucial in the yachting industry due to the purchase of new vessels and equipment, contracting cooperation and business development.
The first ICE was held in Zagreb in 2015, and due to the need for more space in 2019, the fair was moved from Zagreb to Vienna. The last fair brought together over 200 exhibitors and over 1,500 representatives of companies from 45 countries, who held more than 7,000 meetings. Until the return of the physical expo, the innovative ICE digital model will remain.
YACHTLIFE&TRAVEL
