Exhibitor applications are now open for the highly anticipated Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show 2023 (SCIBS), which will take place May 25-28.

After the sold out 2022 event – which saw over 45,000 visitors and 334 exhibitors with 607 boats on show and over 1000 marine products – SCIBS has been inundated with exhibitor enquiries.

Returning exhibitors are encouraged to register before COB Thursday, November 17 to receive priority access to their 2022 space.

Mulpha Events General Manager Johan Hasser says they are expecting to exceed previous year’s exhibitor numbers. “With the success of the 2022 event, we have seen consistent enquiry from the industry eager to secure their space for 2023,” says Mr Hasser.

Cementing the Show’s position as Australia’s largest on water showcase, SCIBS 2023 – the 34th edition of the annual event – will see an expanded footprint to meet increased exhibitor demand, with an additional arm on the marina offering a further 28 berths.  There will also be an expansion of the SCIBS Pavilion precinct offering an additional 400sqm of indoor space.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate says SCIBS is the leading boat show in the Southern Hemisphere.

“The evolution of the Sanctuary Cove Boat Show is a story of constant renewal. Organisers have never rested on their laurels and have consistently added new products and new experiences to the format. That’s what has given it the edge and allowed this event to become the leading show of its kind in the southern hemisphere,’’ Mayor Tate said.

“It also does wonders for our city’s reputation with our waterways, marine logistics facilities, marinas, superyacht berths and incredible lifestyle attributes put up in lights across the globe.’’

SCIBS 2023 will again play host to a variety of luxury brands along the Marina Boulevard, including Bentley Brisbane & Gold Coast which is returning for their milestone 11th year as major sponsor for the event.

BIG NAMES RETURN FOR SCIBS 2023

Tom Barry‑Cotter, Managing Director of Maritimo, says the luxury motor yacht manufacturers will return for SCIBS 2023, as it has done every year since its inception.

“SCIBS is unique to other boat shows around the globe, because of its village atmosphere. There are not many places better than the Gold Coast in May, so we welcome customers and guests from all over the world. The sun is almost always shining, there’s a diversity of crowds, and everybody is there to enjoy everything about boating,” says Mr Barry-Cotter.

“SCIBS 2023 will mark the biggest show in Maritimo’s 20-year history. Maritimo will begin its 20 Year Anniversary Celebrations, and the global launch of the two largest and most heralded motor yachts in its history – the M75 Flybridge Motor Yacht and the S75 Sedan Motor Yacht.”

Greg Haines, dealer principal at Princess Yachts has personally attended every SCIBS since the event began, and rates it among the best in the world.

“I have been to shows all over the world,” Mr Haines says. “And SCIBS is one of the best, if not the best. It’s just such a great experience, and unique in that you have the village, the hotel, the golf course – it’s a whole experience.”

SCIBS 2023 will see Southern Hemisphere premiere of the highly anticipated Princess Y72.

Mark Elkington, Chief Executive Officer of Multihull Solutions says the company has a long history with SCIBS, and he intends to keep it that way.

“Multihull Solutions founders have been exhibiting at SCIBS since 1997, 14 years under the Multihull Solutions brand name,” Mr Elkington says.

“We have continuously found that SCIBS attracts a very broad buyer demographic throughout the Asia Pacific region, in comparison to other Australian Boat Shows. We regularly handle orders at this event from buyers coming in from Singapore, Hong Kong, New Zealand, New Caledonia and the Pacific Islands.

“Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show is a great destination for serious buyers to complete their buyer due diligence and homework with the best of the market’s leading brands on display. There are few boat shows in the world that have everything you need as an exhibitor, a boat buyer or a family just enjoying a day out to get a new fishing rod or anchor for their tinny. There is something for everyone to enjoy and it is one of my favourite events on our annual events calendar.”

Mr Elkington says the company is looking forward to showcasing several new models and new releases across all their brands at SCIBS 2023.

LUXURY EXPERIENCES ON OFFER AT SCIBS 2023

Show favourites such as The Lagoon Lounge VIP precinct, also return for the 2023 event. This all-inclusive offering includes boat show access, a marquee experience featuring an all-day grazing menu, a private bar and live entertainment, all overlooking the spectacular superyacht marina precinct.

“The Lagoon Lounge is a secluded private haven and the perfect vantage point to enjoy the show, with access to the marina and within view of a sensational line-up of superyachts,” Mr Hasser says. “It’s an experience that’s unique in Australia, more akin to European boat shows, yet totally accessible.”

SCIBS BRINGS OVER $470 MILLION TO GC

Recently, research conducted by Griffith Business School at Griffith University has found that the estimated direct economic impact of the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show (SCIBS) 2021 to the Gold Coast was almost half a billion dollars.

In a paper released this month, Dr Douglas Hunt and his research team found the sum of total money that came into the Gold Coast as a direct result of SCIBS 2021 was $471.46 million, up from $336.27 million in 2019. 92% of this was the commercial impact of orders placed with exhibitors at the show.

It is expected the economic impact of the sold out SCIBS 2022 event – which saw 334 exhibitors, with 607 boats on show and over 1000 marine products – will eclipse these figures again.

These figures represent a tangible return on the significant investment Sanctuary Cove owner Mulpha has made in the precinct, the event and the marine industry. Since taking ownership in 2002, Mulpha has invested in the development of the Sanctuary Cove precinct, the redevelopment of the hotel and the expansion of the marina, including state-of-the-art undercover superyacht berthing which offers, among other things, room service through the InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort.

Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show is owned and presented by Mulpha Events and supported by Major Events Gold Coast and the Queensland Government.

The 34^th Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show (SCIBS) is on from May 25-28, 2023. For more visit sanctuarycoveboatshow.com.au