Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show welcomed more than 100,000 visitors over the course of five days.
PHILIPSBURG--More than 700 guests visited the Destination Hub St. Maarten-Anguilla signature booth at the 63rd annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (FLIBS). “The event had a vibe unlike any I have ever attended,” said Anguilla Tourist Board Chairman Kenroy Herbert.
The team of Destination Hub St. Maarten-Anguilla welcomed visitors to their booth and provided updates on their destinations’ readiness, services, hotels, airports and entry requirements for the upcoming season.
Strengthening our destinations’ position as a premier location in the yachting industry is a team effort, the partners from St. Maarten and Anguilla said.
Highlighting the event was the Destination Hub raffle, which took place on October 30. There were four lucky winners. One visitor won a round-trip ticket from Miami, Florida, to Anguilla, another got a round-trip ticket from Miami to St. Maarten, including hotel and transportation. Two other persons won a seven-night free dockage at Palapa Marina and seven-night free dockage at Yacht Club Port de Plaisance.
FLIBS was held from Wednesday through Sunday, October 26-30. “This year’s show lived up to its title as the largest in-water boat show in the world, welcoming over 100,000 visitors and featuring exhibitors from global shipyards and local marine manufacturers,” said Yacht Club Port de Plaisance Director of Marketing Sharrita Mills.
The islands were beautifully showcased and received a lot of interest. “It was a complete success, proving that St. Maarten and Anguilla remain a premier destination for the yachting industry,” Mills said. “The synergy between the destinations impressively came to life during the show. We are grateful to all our collaborating partners in this great event and we cannot wait to return next year for another unforgettable boat show.”
With another successful year for the Destination Hub under the belt and the growing demand in the yachting industry at an all-time high, Mills said, “The collaborating partners were thrilled to be part of the unity platform which was initiated by the Yacht Club Port de Plaisance team to showcase the Destination Hub. All partners are eagerly looking forward to next year’s collaboration as the Hub continues to grow.”
Herbert said: “I have attended many trade shows over the years, but I can honestly say, on behalf of the Anguilla Tourist Board, we are proud to be a part of the collaboration. The event had a vibe unlike any I have ever attended.”
Mills added, “It is vital for us to reinforce St. Maarten/St. Martin, Anguilla and St. Barths as a stand-out Destination Hub in the yachting industry, and this is best done in conjunction with local service providers. Strengthening our destinations’ position as a premier location in the yachting industry is a team effort and raises awareness of a first-class quality service that we offer.”
Yacht Club Port de Plaisance management extended a heartfelt “thank you” to all the collaborators committed to making this event successful: St. Maarten Tourism Bureau, Anguilla Tourist Board, Maritime Affairs, St. Maarten Marine Trades Association, Palapa Marina, Marina Fort-Louis, Sol Petroleum, Delta Petroleum, Ez Shop, Port of St. Maarten Group of Companies, Big Time Taxi Service, A Touch of Handz, Luxcmar Yacht Services and Impulse Spa Clinic.
