ROTTERDAM—The 3rd edition of the Rotterdam Boat was canceled only two weeks before it was to take place over the Easter long weekend.
Andre Elevelt, one of the organizers, said the early Easter holidays this year would likely be cold and rainy, a factor not considered until recently. “Especially exhibitors of small open boats have reconsidered their participation due to the possibility of bad weather,” Elevelt said.
Easter, the most significant Christian holiday, has no fixed date but varies between March 22 and April 25. It is based on the Jewish holiday calendar, which follows solar and lunar cycles.
There is also the matter of soaring costs spoiling the joy of staging the 2024 Rotterdam Boat Show. “The financial risk associated with hosting the Rotterdam Boat Show is too significant for the organization,” said Elevelt.
He stressed that the show’s cancellation was not due to a lack of public interest. “We are not a trade fair reliant on tens of thousands of visitors, but rather on exclusivity,” he said.
“This also applies to the exhibited boats. We cater to an exclusive target audience. The two precious editions drew 2,000 visitors.” Forty-four boat builders and their suppliers had signed up for the 2024 show, an exclusive event in Rotterdam’s Admiralty Marina for Dutch and Foreign yacht builders in a chic and elegant setting.
Elevelt said there will be a 2025 boat show, once again, around the Easter holidays, which will fall later that year. “This time, we made a slight miscalculation. It’s simply too early in the season.”
The inaugural Rotterdam Boat Show in 2022 was an unexpected success. It was held in the downtown Rotterdam Admiralty marina, framed by high-rise apartments and office towers.
The show showcases high-end watercraft, from small tenders and runabouts to pocket superyachts. In 2023, some big-name yacht builders from the Netherlands and abroad showed up. Dutch brands included Mulder Shipyard, Vanquish Yachts, and Zeelander. Foreign exhibitors included Princess and Sunseeker from Britain and Azimut Yachts from Italy.
www.rotterdam-boatshow.com
