Maritime Marketplace review
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March 6, 2017The popular Maritime Marketplace at the MyState Australian Wooden Boat Festival continues to grow and develop. Many thousands of visitors include Princes Wharf Shed (PW1) on their visit to the festival.
The doors opened each day of the weekend to a throng of visitors keen to get in and look at the array of great marine products.
“At peak times there were over 3,000 visitors per hour entering PW1.” Paul Cullen, Festival GM
Many of our commercial exhibitors now make the trip to Hobart a fixed part of their marketing program. The exhibitors have grown in number so that the Maritime Marketplace cannot fit into PW1 – a shed which is over 110 metres long and 30 metres wide!
Recreational Marine Industry
The marketplace is a great showcase for the recreational marine sector. There is a sizeable industry of local regional companies which support and maintain all the beautiful wooden (and other) boats. These firms are joined by other exhibitors from around Australia and New Zealand at each festival.
With no room left in PW1, commercial displays were to be found along Franklin Wharf, in Mure’s Carpark and near Victoria Dock. Many exhibitors reported having their best festival yet.
Brett Mould of Norglass has been displaying at the festival since 1996 and loves coming to Hobart every other year.
“The visitors are very discerning and have really good questions”, says Brett. “We gave out over 4000 copies of our catalogue, many more than at other boat shows.”
(By the way if you missed out on a copy see Norglass website for more information.)
Several first time exhibitors at the festival also had a great response.
“We were overwhelmed with the huge number of enquiries we received at the festival (we had to put an extra staff member on so that we could answer everyone’s questions), and the number of bookings we have since received have far exceeded our expectations.” reports Alice van der Woude of Tasmanian Boat Charters.
Maritime Marketplace review
As usual, after each festival, we ask our exhibitors about their experience. We are keen to know which aspects did we get right, and what can be improved for next time. We have received some great suggestions and will consider them in the planning for AWBF 2019. We invite exhibitors and patrons alike to tell us how you found the maritime Marketplace. Drop us a line at office@australianwoodenboatfestival.com.au
Tim Oxley contributes to AWBF News and ReviewMarineProducts.com
