The 9th edition of the conference takes place from 17-19 November alongside METSRADE show in Amsterdam
The 9th edition of the ICOMIA World Marinas Conference, organised by RAI Amsterdam in partnership with the ICOMIA Marinas Group and HISWA Holland Marine Industry Association, will be held on 17-19 November 2016 in Amsterdam.
The conference and the various events being held in parallel is proving very popular, with the associated Marina & Yard Pavilion at the METSTRADE Show being completely sold out.
In addition to several hundred delegates expected at the conference itself, many people have expressed interest in the matchmaking event planned for the morning of Friday 18 November and the marina tour on Saturday 19 November.
“This underlines the need in the industry for one-to-one contacts which enable people to learn from each other and exchange experiences,” says Irene Dros, maritime domain manager at RAI Amsterdam.
The matchmaking event will consist of pre-arranged face-to-face meetings lasting 30 minutes each and bring together commercial partners, suppliers and customers from a pool of the most influential representatives in the industry.
The marina tour, covering some of the finest facilities in the northern Netherlands including Volendam, Enkhuizen and Muiderzand, is almost sold out.
The theme of this year’s ICOMIA World Marinas Conference, ‘Future of marinas in a changing world’, will be presented by over 40 world-class experts from leading global companies.
The plenary sessions will focus on the current state of affairs in the worldwide marina industry, new opportunities in emerging markets, different approaches to marina management, and intersections between the public & private sectors.
Breakout sessions will cover new ideas in marina development, innovative solutions in marina operations, marketing and customer care, regulations & legislation related to marinas & boating, financing, and environmental legislation.
The extensive conference programme will run the gamut of the sector, with seminars held on a variety of themes.
Examples include Jason & Tim Ludlow, founders of Beds on Board, talking about new consumer trends, with a special focus on the share economy and the challenges & opportunities it brings to boat owners and marinas.
Kenny Jones, executive vice president of Island Global Yachting, and Paul Cook, general manager of OneOcean Port Vell, will discuss the unique challenges created for marinas by the growth in the number of superyachts worldwide, and will look at the growth in the sector, the key players, and the conditions required for a successful superyacht marina.
Nicky Vaux, sales director at Empire Boat Sales, will look at the influence women have on the yacht buying process and the ways in which sellers can engage with them to improve revenue and customer satisfaction.
The ICOMIA World Marinas Conference will also illustrate the value of the marina industry. “Marinas make a very real economic contribution to their communities. They attract people and businesses all year round and help coastal communities with seasonal tourism to achieve a significant prolongation of their activities.
«Marinas are also a benefit to the coastal economy: two thirds of guests’ expenditure goes directly to the local community, and marinas with a good occupation rate provide one direct job for every 25 berths and one indirect job for every four,” says Roberto Perocchio, chairman of the ICOMIA Marinas Group.
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