Sri Lanka’s Sixth Boat Show & Boating Festival 2018 to Promote Nautical Tourism and Floating Restaurants

THE SIXTH Boat Show and Boating Festival Sri Lanka 2018, a biennial event, jointly organised by Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB), Boat Building Technology Improvement Institute Lanka (GTE) Limited (BTI), along with the relevant ministries in Sri Lanka, is due to be hosted from October 26 to 28 this year at the Galle Yacht Marina of the Port of Galle, Sri Lanka. The event is deemed to be South Asia’s largest Boat Show.

On the sidelines of the Boat Show, the Boat Festival aims to promote nautical tourism and boost recreational boating in Sri Lanka, said Vireshika Bandara, Consul (Commercial), Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Mumbai, while addressing a press conference here.

To introduce millennials to the festival, water sports events including wakeboarding, wind surfing, jet ski racing, catamaran, water skiing, and dinghy racing, will be taking place. One can also opt for a boat event run by sailing clubs, fishing events and demonstrations, F&B court, floating restaurants, music played by innumerable bands, Sun & Sand Festival, inter alia, Sri Lanka cultural display associated to the sea, etc.

“The boat show essentially focuses on providing a single platform for all boat and ship building industries and let them display & promote their respective products and services to both local and international clients,” added Bandara. The event thereby serves as grounds for networking between the diverse Visitors and Exhibitors from across the globe, read a presentation about the Boat Show and Boating Festival.

Bandara while further mentioning about the visitors and buyers profile, said, Singapore, Maldives, South Korea, Belgium, Middle East, Germany, Netherlands, and the UK have already confirmed their participation. When asked about the visitor footfall received at the last edition in 2016, Bandara replied, “There were over 3000 visitors at the event last time, and this year we are expecting the number to be greater.”

Listing the island country’s major ship and boat building products, the presentation flashed categories including Luxury Sailing and Motor Yachts, Pleasure and Leisure Craft, Floating restaurants and Bars, House Boats, Naval & Coast Guard Vessels, Multipurpose Platform Supply Vessels, Anchor Handling & Supply Vessels, etc., among others.