The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show 2022 Round Up

America’s yachting capital came to life last week as the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show celebrated an impressive 63 years of existence. 

Spread across seven of Fort Lauderdale’s most iconic locations, including the Pier 66 Marina, the Bahia Mar Yachting Center, and the Broward County Convention Center, FLIBS holds the impressive title of being the largest in-water boat show in the world, spanning an incredible 90 acres of both water and land-based exhibits.

This year, FLIBS certainly put on a spectacle for its visitors, offering an incredible array of world debuts, immersive experiences, and an eclectic collection of all things boats, yachts and marine life. Despite the soaring temperatures, guests were not disheartened, and the number of attendees sky-rocketed once again. 

Unlike other boat shows, FLIBS welcomes those who are keen to purchase their next vessel, as well as those simply interested in the yachting lifestyle; offering a wide array of experiences to cater to everyone. 

For those fascinated by the luxurious world of superyachts, the esteemed Superyacht Village yet again allowed guests to get up close and personal with some of the most iconic superyachts in the industry. Lurssen’s 72.5m CORAL OCEAN,  Feadship’s 62m SEA OWL, Heesen's 50m OCEAN Z, and Benetti's 41m SEASCAPE, were just some of the largest yachts that were on exhibit at the show this year, with several impressive yachts also on display as brokerage vessels. 

Walking the docks of Fort Lauderdale throughout the show’s duration, the Superyachts.com media team spoke to a number of key individuals from the industry, hearing insights into each of their brands, and why the annual American show is so important to their businesses. 

After last year’s record-breaking success, which saw the show contribute $1.79 billion to Florida’s economy, there was plenty of anticipation about this year’s edition. It goes without saying, that the show yet again honoured its title. 

Phil Purcell, CEO/President of the Marine Industries Association of South Florida (MIASF), owners of FLIBS, and Andrew Doole, President of U.S. Boat Shows with Informa Markets, producers of FLIBS, released a statement commenting on the success of this year’s show: ‘The 63rd annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (FLIBS) ushered in a five-day exhibition of chart-topping achievements for the marine industry. Along with historically generating more than $1.79 billion economic impact for the state of Florida and an impactful revenue for South Florida’s marine, hospitality, and tourism industries, this year's event made strides in sustainability that have set standards for shows to come.’

‘On behalf of the Marine Industries Association of South Florida (MIASF) and Informa Markets, we are grateful to the Broward County Convention Center, and all our local community partners for working diligently with our team to deliver a seamless and enjoyable experience for attendees, exhibitors, content creators, industry, and community at large. We look forward to returning next year for the 64th annual show as we continue building on our tradition as the largest in-water boat show in the world.'

With high attendance and plenty of positive feedback overall, we look forward to seeing the sales and successes reported following the show. Stay tuned for our exclusive FLIBS interviews as we discuss some of the most ground-breaking topics in the American, and global, markets, and watch our full round-up video of the 2022 FLIBS action above. 

See you next year FLIBS!