The Boat Show raises the curtain this Wednesday on an edition marked by the spirit of the America's Cup, with its competitors already installed in Port Vell and training on the Barcelona coast. In fact, the event has had to reorganize itself to fit into the space left free by the six bases of the participating teams. Its president, Luis Conde, walks through the stands days before the event begins, checking how everything is going, recalling anecdotes from his days at sea, and talking with exhibitors. He defines the show he has led since 2009 as "the marketing department of any company that wants to sell boats," knowing that sailboats or motorboats do not have a media or advertising presence like cars to whet the appetite of potential buyers. "You have no choice but to come to the Nautical. It's the perfect showcase," he defends in an interview with The New Barcelona Post.
Until Sunday, the show organized by Fira de Barcelona expects to attract more than 50,000 attendees and will bring together more than 240 exhibitors in its 61st edition, a figure below last year's. Despite this, a large part of the brands have expanded the contracted area, so a total of 22,000 square meters will continue to be occupied. There will be 160 exhibition boats in the floating display, 20 fewer than in 2022 due to the space lost by coexisting with the America's Cup. Sailboats will be in Moll de la Fusta and motorboats in Moll d'Espanya. Some of the participating brands will be Beneteau, Fountaine Pajot, Lagoon, Yamaha, or Zodiac. Some like Recambios Marinos have returned, and new ones like Candela and Blue Game have joined.
--- How will the Nautical benefit from the arrival of the America's Cup next year? And Barcelona?
--- I have been to two America's Cups, in Valencia and San Diego. If those were strong, the one in Barcelona is going to be much more powerful. Among other things, because here we know how to do it well. The Olympic Games were an example. The America's Cup, with this wonderful sea and port, is going to cause an impact on the world that will positively affect the economy. Look, in the Football World Cup, when Morocco won, there was advertising for the country everywhere and it made you want to go. The same thing happened when Costa Rica won. In that sense, in the United States, everyone follows the America's Cup, so we are going to be on the front page of their televisions, showing Barcelona, the port, the beach and the city. This will attract a large amount of American tourism, which is not exactly abundant here and which is very interesting because it is the one that consumes the most and is deseasonalized.
--- Beyond attracting more tourism, what else can the competition be used for?
--- The America's Cup will generate a very pro-nautical movement in the city. We had it with the Olympic Games, with which Barcelona stopped turning its back on the sea and began to look at it. Now it's a question of getting into the sea, of saying how I take advantage of this sea I have, how I maintain it, how I clean it, how I enjoy it... That's where we are. This Boat Show will be very focused on sustainability and innovation. Every year the products are improving a lot, for example, the hulls are now recycled and, in addition, they have a design that makes them rub less, consume less and make less noise. Without forgetting all the devices that have been created to make navigation easier, more comfortable and friendlier. All this is innovation and who starts it? The America's Cup. There you will see boats that fly at 100 km/h. That is something they have invented and that will end up arriving in the boats that are exhibited at the Nautical.
--- This year the Nautical could not occupy the entire Moll d'Espanya due to the presence of the base of the British America's Cup team, Ineos Britannia. The show is always held on the October 12th long weekend, which coincides with the last phase of the regatta. How will they do it in 2024?
--- What is clear is that a show like this cannot be held on the same dates as the America's Cup because there is no space. In addition, each exhibitor travels to Barcelona with three or four people, and on the days of the competition there will be no hotels and, those that are available, will cost 3,000 euros. During the days of the regatta, we will do something, but I don't think there will be a Nautical Show. We are thinking of moving the show a bit towards the end of the America's Cup to take advantage of the competition's momentum and end it with a flourish.
--- The Nautical Show is linked to Barcelona and is positioned as one of the five most important shows of its kind in Europe. How do you see the city that hosts it?
--- Barcelona is spectacular. When they tell me it's decadent, I don't know where they see it. Passeig de Gràcia is the most beautiful street in Europe: it has all the main shops, spectacular facades and balconies, as well as Gaudí-esque lampposts and benches, La Pedrera, Casa Batlló... In London, the closest thing is Old Bond Street, but it's only three blocks, it's nothing. In Madrid, there's Serrano street, not at all comparable to Passeig de Gràcia. Not to mention Germany, and much less the United States. Here you have something that is a plus, the city is beautiful per se.
--- So?
--- Look, you come up with ideas to beautify the city and give it more strength, and the administration doesn't let you. For example, last year, we celebrated the 60th anniversary of the show and I would have liked to give the city a nautical touch. To dress Passeig de Gràcia, for example, at the intersection with Avenida Diagonal, with a lighthouse. When you go to the Fort Lauderdale (Florida), Miami or Genoa Boat Show, as soon as you get off the plane, you breathe nautical, here you don't breathe anything. I wanted to put a couple of boats at the airport and on Passeig de Gràcia, but it was impossible. Not only because of the Barcelona City Council, the other local councils in the area don't allow it either. Nothing can be done.
--- What does the Catalan capital need?
--- It is important to aim high. You have to aim very high. Aim high, this is the name of the game. If a concert is made, let it be the best; if there is an opera, let it be the best. Of course, then all tickets are sold because people are eager. Precisely, I come from a lunch at the Círculo Ecuestre to see what kind of important events can be organized in Barcelona. I love it when there is a congress of 20,000 doctors or a Formula 1 race at the Montmeló Circuit. How can all this go to Madrid? It must be avoided.
"Barcelona has to aim very high"--- But, what is it that the city has to attract?
--- I would get more into what we Catalans are. We are not about partying; we are more about innovation, research, new technologies, or the world of startups. We have to organize the world's major congresses on these topics. The Mobile has been a success. Furthermore, it is a city that has the capacity to host these types of events, from a hotel, gastronomic, or climatic point of view. Barcelona is extremely prepared for everything. There are no cities that have halls that can accommodate 50,000 people. They don't have it in Madrid or anywhere else. In Barcelona, yes.
--- Do we compare ourselves too much with Madrid?
--- Yes, but it's absurd. I compare myself with Madrid to see what I can do better. Madrid compares itself with us to see what it can copy from us. What we are good at, let's keep it here. However, Madrid has made a brutal change, and we have lost prominence. In addition, they have grown, with the luck that the most powerful real estate investment has gone there, specifically guided by Latin Americans.
--- Can it be reversed?
--- We are very well situated, right next to the border, but we have lost positions. I believe they will be regained. We have many things, but we have to learn and work together. Among all of us, we have to help this change so that our children and grandchildren can enjoy it as we have. I am in love with Barcelona, it shows, doesn't it?