LIBS and the Boat, Caravan & Outdoors Show

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It seems to me that the BCO Show has been making strenuous efforts to attract more boating exhibitors and visitors to their show in recent years and I'm wondering what effect that will have on LIBS
IMHO LIBS is in the wrong place at the wrong time. The UK's premier boat show should be in the UK's premier exhibition centre and that's the NEC. And then there is the timing. LIBS avowed intent is to attract newcomers and youngsters into boating so when do they have the show? Yup, during the week when everyone returns to work and the kids go back to school and, oh yes, it overlaps the Dusseldorf show. Doh! How stupid is that? The BCO show, by contrast, is during February half term week, just when people feel they can take a day off work and can make a day of it with the family
So how long before some of the bigger exhibitors decide that the BCO show is actually a better exhibition than LIBS? It's in the right place at the right time and I bet it's cheaper to exhibit there. I also bet the visitor footfall is greater because it's a caravan and outdoor show as well and the NEC can easily accomodate any increase in demand for extra space
Anyone else think the same?
 
how important is footfall? And how many big shiny grp buyers then go and look at a caravan?
I go to LBS as its on the doorstep, so I guess I dont have the issues that you relate to. I ve put offers on a few boats too, over the last few years. Would I go all the way to Brum? Personally , no, but then I guess others who arent close to London feel the same about LBS.
Actually, if you are serious about looking at a boat, or style of boat, I think LBS works well... better the SBS where they can be spread all over the place. Or electronics. Or.. anything,really.
Yes, Excel is a bit cold and uninviting, but then I would argue its also functional.
And SO easy to get to /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
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how important is footfall? And how many big shiny grp buyers then go and look at a caravan?


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It's very important for 2 reasons. Firstly, the punters coming at the bottom of the boating pyramid buying small boats, often on impulse, support the rest of us. I don't know about other people but my interest in boating was sparked by an accidental visit to the London boat show many years ago and since then I've pumped more money into the boating industry than I care to think about. Secondly, it is vital to bring youngsters into boating because without them coming up behind us, boating will die. Holding LIBS in the first week of the new term is hardly conducive to that
You may be lucky enough to live on the Excel side of London but for most of the rest of the UK, Excel is very difficult to get to by car or train, certainly more difficult than the NEC
 
The old Earls Court January show was an annual event for me; I always looked forward to it as a post festive event. I ventured to Excel once a few years ago and will never go there again, the travelling from the W country was just too much of a pain to make it worthwhile.
NEC would be attractive for me, much easier access.
 
...and of course, those of us who live further north. Brum, dead easy down the M6. Excel? I wouldn't even attempt to do it as a day-trip.
 
100% Agree Mike. There is enough capacity at the NEC to have one mega show incorporating the Excel Boat show and the Outdoor Show (can't bring myself to use the "c" word).

I really don't understand the aversion to the NEC as a boat show location.
 
No, I agree with your point about access..I admited that I probably wouldnt go, if it wasnt so close.
I m less convinced about young boaters coming in and the clash with school restarting.. unless you have very wealthy children /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Actually, I bought my first boat after reading MBM for a plane flight !
Wife wasnt so convinced that a sportsboat was much use in the middle of London.
Still not conviced that footfall per se results in sales.
 
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I m less convinced about young boaters coming in and the clash with school restarting

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I'm not necessarily talking about kids getting into powerboating but kids getting into boating generally and they often do that through the likes of dinghy sailing, canoeing or windsurfing and a boat show can just spark that interest which leads to a lifelong interest in water sports. Also, sailing is one of the very few Olympic sports that we're not hopeless at so anything that helps draw kids into boating is good for our future medal hopes too
 
I think Libs has been very important for 2 reasons. Firstly, it is actually fairly easy for a very large part of the population to get to. Let me qualify that statement: I know that there are large parts of the country that would find NEC nearer, but whilst that covers a large area, it's not a huge part of the population. What many peeps on the forum seem to forget, especially if they have never lived in the south east, is that something like a third of the total population of England lives within an hour of London.

Secondly, (in the last ten years at least) most, if not all the big money has been within one mile of Excel. This is I feel particularly true for the saily boat guys. In my experience, a lot of the really big mobo owners are peeps who have built up their own business etc. A lot of the big players in London (directors, fund managers, lawyers etc.) like the big yachts.

All IMHO of course.
 
Have you ever thought about going to the Birmingham show? If not, dare I suggest that it's because it is inconvenient from Crawley & a lot of unnecessary miles for you. Well that's how some those of us who don't see London as the centre of the universe feel about Excel.
 
kids getting into boating generally and they often do that through the likes of dinghy sailing, canoeing or windsurfing
******
but its the parents who need to take them to a boatshow, bunking off school hopefully, he he .
.. ie its the parents who need to have the driving interest.
Otherwise, its sailing clubs etc. I dont think you need a boat show in order to get an interest in boats. You need a lake, or river, or coast.
All I m saying is that I m not convinced that dinghies and kayaks etc is what LBS is about. Or gold medals,either (unless worn on top of chest wig).
Last year, I wanted to look for an outboard, a tender and some electronics. Its was excellent to be able to get from one stand to another to compare. I tried the same at SBS and it was hopeless. Yes SBS is a more enjoyable show, wind rain,boats on the water- but nowhere near as "functional".
 
Nobody is saying that LIBS is all about kids comparing kayaks and canoes anymore than it's about middle aged men comparing outboards. It should be for everyone. All I'm saying is that the current show date will deter some people from attending which is wrong. LIBS used to start on 2nd Jan which meant that just about everyone could attend including kids. Then the boating industry lobbied for it to be moved one week later presumably so the build up didn't interfere with their Christmas and New Year hangovers. That attitude might have been acceptable when the economy was booming but now that the boating industry is on it's knees, pitching your major exhibition at a time when some visitors are less able to attend and conflicts with the largest boat show in Europe is downright stupid, especially when your major competitor up the road at the NEC is pitching his exhibition at a time when just about everybody can attend and in a place just about everybody can get to
 
well, I guess if the exhibitors agreed with you, they wouldnt be attending, so there must be some anticipated value.
I do see that for those with kids in school, you are now stuck with the w/end at the show, and I do see that for those who live some distance north and west of London, its not an ideal journey.
I dont agree that makes its downright stupid. But I could well be wrong, and I ll have the whole place to myself. In fact, given the economic climate, I might well have anyway!
Just me and girls selling MBM !
Where-ever a show is held its going to be more or less convenient for someone,and will clash with something or other.
 
goochie, your reasoning is spot on, and its about time that folks Oop North realised the facts.

I live in Essex and Libs is perfect for me as it is indoor in the winter, and whilst I also attend Sibs it is mainly because in is nice and warm outside as its held in the summer.

Boc is to far for me and I would never bother going BUT I can understand why folks Oop North and Folks Doon the South West would prefer Birmingham.

There is not a location that would suit all parties but being selfish I must admit that being part of this Unions one third of the population that live and work in London and the South East Libs is perfectly located and is at the right time of the year.

There, that feels better.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all and you families.
 
My vote goes to Birmingham - Excel is a pain to get to for the majority, and even though it may be surrounded by the wealthy, as Mike says you need Boaters entering at all levels to keep the market moving!
 
I dont agree, Mike.
The NEC isnt the place for a boat show - you need water.
When I was in business, yes, the NEC was definately the best place for a trade show and we always had good results when we exhibited there. However, the boating industry has moved on now so much that it couldnt get the bigger exhibits there - in fact it has moved along way since even the days of LIBS at Earls Court. The top boat builders have quite a few models now that wont transport by road so an exhibition centre with access to the sea is now a necessity. Princess for example couldnt possibly move the kit they have planned for LIBS into the NEC.

I hear you say that "for the beginner" and "for the kids" but there are already exhibitions catering for this audience already - Sailboat at Alli Pally for example.

So IMO there is no point expanding an exhibition at NEC and as gigm says SIBS is very "bitty" - either LIBS at Excel or nothing - and in fact I hate Excel but I do see the reasoning.
 
seeing this post
I think England and UK has to have one major show Really and that is Southampton, with a half a dozen of small shows happening troughout the year, London can stay how it is and hopefully EC will cater for the smaller end of the buisness

its the same in everywhere, even Italy has really one major show which is Genoa it is also the only UCINA(like BMIF for Italy) supported, the US have 2 but for such a big land that is normal, altough it is funny they are held more or less in the same place Miami and FL
Hurricane comments of water and near it connection make justice for the big boats and that is fact, you cannot abandon the big size nowadays and with all this recession it still is the most healthy sector of the market
 
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