boot Düsseldorf 2025: Global marine industry gathers in Germany
Photos courtesy of Messe Düsseldorf.
boot Düsseldorf 2025, the world’s largest yacht and watersports fair, kicks off tomorrow (18 January) and runs until 26 January, occupying an expansive 220,000 square metres of exhibition space across 17 exhibition halls.
This year’s event will feature over 1,500 exhibitors from more than 60 countries, showcasing an endlessly diverse range of watercraft, equipment, destinations and innovations in watersports technology. With more than 1,000 boats on display, this year’s lineup features renowned sailing brands such as X-Yachts, Jeanneau, Beneteau, Dufour, Excess, Hallberg Rassy, Contest, Amel, Solaris, and Lagoon — which will exhibit in halls 15 and 16, with several announcing new boat premieres.
In motorboats and motor yachts, the exhibitor list this year includes Aiata, Bayliner, Boston Whaler, Mercury, Yamaha, Linssen, Axopar, Nimbus, and Sunseeker, among many others. Hall 3 will focus on affordable, fully equipped motorboats and outboard motors for beginners, while halls 1 and 4 will highlight mid-range to luxury motorboats. Superboat enthusiasts can look forward to Hall 5, which will feature high-performance models from Pardo, De Antonio, Frauscher, and other major players. Hall 9 is dedicated to ribs and power ribs, with manufacturers such as Brig, Zodiac, Williams Jet Tenders and Tiger Marine offering a comprehensive display.
The annual Breakfast Meeting will take place on 21 January in a new venue within Hall 1 of boot Düsseldorf, with an updated format. The 2025 Breakfast Meeting will focus on the theme The New Generation of Customers and address key questions about the future of the boating industry. Discussions are set to centre on evolving customer demographics, preferences and lifestyle trends, exploring how the sector can adapt to these shifts.
New for the 2025 show, Yachting Ventures and the European Boating Industry are launching a Startup Day aimed at showcasing innovative startups in the leisure marine industry. This event builds on previous successful pitch competitions at the Blue Innovation Dock (BID), a sustainability forum that emphasises innovation in the sector.
Petros Michelidakis, the fair’s director, emphasises boot’s importance as a hub for the watersports industry: “If you want to experience the diversity of watersports and learn more about them in person, this is the right place for you,” he says. He also notes the event’s ability to generate business for exhibitors, with many reporting direct sales and a strong pipeline of leads.
Technical innovation is another focal point of boot Düsseldorf 2025. Halls 10 and 11 will house suppliers of boat engines, navigation systems, electronics, and other technical equipment. Exhibitors such as Yanmar, Volvo Penta, Torqeedo, and SVB will present the latest in marine technology, offering solutions ranging from engine upgrades to advanced electronic systems.
In addition to boats and technology, the fair will cater to diving enthusiasts, with halls 11 and 12 showcasing equipment, training opportunities, and diving destinations. Halls 13 and 14 will focus on watersports holidays, featuring destinations such as the Ionian Islands, the Adriatic coast of Croatia, and Germany’s Mecklenburg Lake District. The halls will also provide information on houseboats, canoeing, and international yacht charter services.
Sustainability and marine conservation will remain key themes this year. The Blue Innovation Dock in Hall 10 will provide a platform for discussions on sustainable boating practices and marine protection, featuring input from political, technological, and media experts. The Ocean Tribute award, organised in collaboration with the Prince Albert II Foundation and German Ocean Foundation, will highlight advancements in marine preservation. The Love Your Ocean campaign in Hall 11 will return to educate visitors about ocean conservation efforts.
Organisers of boot Düsseldorf have joined forces with The Foiling Organization to create Foiling World. This is a new area dedicated to foiling technologies, infrastructure, products and services. During the show, there will be debates, lectures and informative sessions on the latest topics in foiling, which is described as ‘the new era of sailing’.
Hall 15 will house two foiling simulators (produced by McConaghy Boats) which are designed to train America’s Cup main, Women and Youth teams. Emirates Team New Zealand and America’s Cup Team Germany have made the simulators available to anyone who wants to test their skills.
A photographic exposition of 100 foiling images, taken by some of the most famous sailing photographers, will also be shown during boot.
Despite challenging economic conditions impacting many manufacturers in recent months, Michelidakis confirms the continued support of key players: “Some manufacturers and shipyards will only be able to show a reduced product range at boot or will have to cancel due to the current challenging economic situation,” he says. “However, we understand this well and are in close contact with all relevant companies. They have clearly expressed their support for future participation in boot as the world’s largest watersports trade fair and assured us that they will be back on board in Düsseldorf in full from 2026.”
boot Düsseldorf consistently attracts a large international audience, with organisers expecting over 200,000 visitors from more than 100 countries.
Tickets for boot Düsseldorf 2025 are available online, with prices starting at €19. Trade visitor tickets, which include early access and entry to the trade visitor lounge, are priced at €26.
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