Boatica is back in the Mother City after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.
As Africa’s largest boating exhibition, this year’s event feature 120 exhibiting companies, live on-water activities, a VIP Boat Cruise, and a luxury lifestyle exhibition for a premium shopping experience. There will also be sailing competitions, dragon-boat racing, kids’ activities, and much more.
With a marine manufacturing industry that acts as a major contributor to the local and global economy, Boatica is a highlight on Cape Town’s event calendar. More than 90% of global trade takes place on sea routes while the coastline around the metro contributes almost R40 billion, or 10%, to the city’s GDP per annum. This includes sectors ranging from real estate, agriculture and fishing, to retail and transport.
When looking specifically at boat-building, including ocean sports and yacht production, this market contributes around R4,2 billion per annum to the local economy while employing around 6 700 people with thousands more in affiliate industries.
This is one of the major reasons why the City of Cape Town has invested in the Blue Cape initiative. This specialised entity, a partnership with the V&A Waterfront, focuses on research and skills development in all areas of marine manufacturing, including boat-building, superyachts, and ocean sports, and how that links to related industries.
Boatica will be an opportunity for buyers to see the world-class craftsmanship of Cape Town’s top manufacturers. It is the expertise and creativity of these local creators who have helped South Africa to gain a global reputation for catamaran building where we are now ranked second after France in terms of units produced.
The sector provides a space for people in a variety of trades to thrive, including engineering, architecture, design, and more.
As we work to weather the storm of unemployment that is battering our nation, particularly its youth, let us unlock the opportunities of high-growth industries such as marine manufacturing. Through events such as Boatica, we can directly connect buyers with local suppliers and unlock the potential of this important sector.
