What could be done to improve the LIBS?

[RogerRat]

"What could be done to improve the LIBS?"

Merge with SIBS. Quality better than quantity.

Funny how his thread fell back on the bad sales people and the bimbos'. They have nothing to do with a bad show. The boats on show maketh the show. No boat show is going to be a class act without all the major manufacturers present. Times are hard for all throughout Europe and I think it is unrealistic to expect them to commit to every show, especially 2 in UK which is not the largest market. The Germans and French organisers provide much larger venues with excellent access by air and rail. It probably takes a similar amount of time to get to Dusseldorf as Southampton from the midlands or further north of UK.

To make it better, there needs to be an incentive for international exhibitors. UK is heavily orientated to the south coast, The NEC is fine for cars but really only suitable for trailer mounted boats. Can you imagine the time, logistical nightmare and cost of transporting a range of 50'+ boats from Poole or Plymouth to Birmingham? Crazy really.

If the show is good, us punters would go, Simples. :encouragement:

Needs of a punter:

1. Full range of boats. Sail and power from 5 to 30 metres.
2. Range of shiny additions/accessories at show prices.
3. Show promotions that are real, not inflated prices with 10% off.
4. Not being ripped off for refreshments as in £10 for a curly sandwich and a cuppa.
5. Low cost entry.
6. Free car parking on site. £15 for entrance and £30 to park doesn't work for most people.
7. Something educational to attend as in key note speakers in a conference area. Safety, Navigation, Boat tuning. (sail) Engine maintenance. A real advice centre.
8. Real Demos pref. on water or electronics with good simulations.
9. Comfortable rest areas for everyone. (not just privileged few.) Exhibitions can be tiring, visitors need breaks too.
10. Hand bag hooks on each display vessel.



Needs of an Exhibitor.

1. Easy access for build and dismantle, close to water.
2. Large, lower cost display areas, not over looked or over shadowed. Dinghys' near small craft not 50 footers and shoe horned in.
3. Large volumes of pre-registered public with colour coded badges. Basic interests... Sail, Power, Owner, buying looking, general. Day-out ticket only - do not hassle!
4. Tax rebates on staff accommodation.
5. Plenty of Advertising and TV coverage as air time by major channels. BBC Boat show special, Sports & Regional news programs.

There you go, some suggestions.
Personally, I don't think the UK can justify two shows each year currently.

RR

 

[rafiki_]

I agree with many of your points RR, but we do have the advantage at Southampton, of one of the worlds most popular leisure boating centres. Germany does not really have this, but of course has huge industrial wealth, and Dusseldorf has become a major event. Logistically it must be very difficult to get the super yachts there by road. German bridges are no higher than UK ones.
So, can we do more in the UK to promote SIBS? Is the timing optimum? Should LIBS die off, much as I really enjoy the option of seeing everything in 3 or 4 hours?

 

[Spi D]

I have to say that I have never really understood the view that people aren't prepared to travel....

I went to Southampton solely for SIBS in September and this weekend to LIBS.

I'm interested in boats of certain sizes and types in general, not Fairline/Sunseeker/Princess/Hardy in particular. Plus related stuff, of course

Conclusion is that SIBS suit me better. More of everything relevant to me.

 

[aquapower]

I agree with many of your points RR, but we do have the advantage at Southampton, of one of the worlds most popular leisure boating centres. Germany does not really have this, but of course has huge industrial wealth, and Dusseldorf has become a major event. Logistically it must be very difficult to get the super yachts there by road. German bridges are no higher than UK ones.
So, can we do more in the UK to promote SIBS? Is the timing optimum? Should LIBS die off, much as I really enjoy the option of seeing everything in 3 or 4 hours?

I loaded a couple of boats destined for Dusseldorf this week and height is far more critical than here in uk, we work on average of 16ft here and we had to get these below 15ft, height has always been an issue once getting off ferry in hook of holland as we often have to remove props and rudders

 

[rafiki_]

I loaded a couple of boats destined for Dusseldorf this week and height is far more critical than here in uk, we work on average of 16ft here and we had to get these below 15ft, height has always been an issue once getting off ferry in hook of holland as we often have to remove props and rudders

So how do they get the really biggies into Dusseldorf?

 

[aquapower]

So how do they get the really biggies into Dusseldorf?

Up the canal and road for the last bit, just like London

 

[BartW]

So how do they get the really biggies into Dusseldorf?

the Rhein river passes next door to the exhibition center

 

[MAFWeiss]

I would have thought that it will be difficult enticing continental exhibitors, who likely will chose Dusseldorf above LIBS, if the show maintains its current January slot. That said, not sure Paris (which is again a winter fair) is that international compared to Cannes and Monte Carlo.

 

[superheat6k]

I don't bother with LIBS any more. Soul-less place Excel. So my thoughts would be merge LIBS into SIBS, and then re-schedule SIBS much earlier in the year ideally March or April when the season is just getting going, not after the season when everyone is getting depressed at the thought of the oncoming Winter.

 

[jfm]

how do they get the huge yachts to LIBS though they cant take them all via water or do they ??????????

Yup, as others have said everything sort of 50 foot and up tends to come by water. They rent a crane very close to the east entrance to Excel and this lifts most of the boats onto lorries that drive them the 100m or so into Excel. For one day they rent a massive crane for the 70foot+ boats. Both cranes shown below. These pics Pics were taken on/around my boat in 2011 as it left the show and drove past the airport into the thames. The big crane lifted the Princess 30m

The NEC is really a non starter. I remember going to the boat shows there years ago but there was never anything big there and it would be a sort of sub-50 foot boat show

 

[theoldsalt]

Why all the very large "gin palaces". These rich people can afford to go anywhere to view and fulfill their dreams.

It's about time the show returned to grass roots and catered for the majority of us with small to average budgets looking for small to average boats and all the accessories and chandlery.

So using the argument that the very large vessels could not get to an inland venue doesn't concern me and I suspect most other boaties. The only justification would be to see, out of curiosity, how the "other half lives" and I for one can live without that.

I think that if the show returned to cater for the average boaty then the atmosphere and success we enjoyed at Earls Court would return.

Let the winter show cater for most of us and leave the September show to cater for the very large, we don't need both. Added to which I prefer to sail in September

 

[mjf]

I have said similar in the whos at the show thread.

Move Sunseeker to the side as before - also add some interest like the anchor demo of a couple of years ago, sailing simulator one year iirc etc

 

[Nick_H]

It's about time the show returned to grass roots and catered for the majority of us with small to average budgets looking for small to average boats and all the accessories and chandlery.....I think that if the show returned to cater for the average boaty then the atmosphere and success we enjoyed at Earls Court would return.

That's what the NEC show was, smaller boats located in the most accessible place in the UK. Nobody went.

 

[EME]

In terms of improving the show to a wider audience then the show has to cater better to sailors and somehow tempt more foreign manufacturers to participate not just leave it to few brave UK dealers to get by as best they can. Not an easy task given that Dusseldorf follows so closely and so much easier to access than the UK (London is the only real option imo).

We Brits may not like it but SIBS is going to be under similar pressure in the future as Cannes is a far better/bigger show (and improving every year) and manufacturers will no doubt pick up on that.

I am just grateful that FairPrinSeek have stuck with it. Hopefully they can justify their future investment having been through the recession.

 

[Elza_Skip]

I went on the first Sunday and was shocked how quiet it was and so little to see. I never visit the Fairline stand as have been put off by their Gestapo (even though I own a Fairline).
At SIBS i spent all day and did not feel I did it justice, 2 hours at LIBS I was bored and left.

Whenit first went to Excel I hated the trip around the M25 but the show was stunning. Lots of boats, lots of chandlery and lots of other suppliers for other info. It also had a huge water sports pool. Now it is more expensive and smaller so i feel it is about to fail. It seems the organisers are trying to make up for a smaller show by increasing costs and it is not working. They need to lower the cost to exhibit and visit to get the numbers back up.

They even refused to release a floor plan to the mags in advance so they could sell the overpriced guides which of you do not need know as the show is so small

Huff-rant over!

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

They even refused to release a floor plan to the mags in advance so they could sell the overpriced guides which of you do not need know as the show is so small

To be fair, SIBS was the same last year but, yes, I find that very irritating too and I won't buy a showguide on principle because of that. It's rip-off Britain at it's very worst. I see that Dusseldorf has a nice interactive floor plan for every one of it's 17 halls this year which is as it should be

 

[Floating Preferably]

I must say many of the comments are not that surprizing, but certainly dissapointing. Despite noises to the contrary the vast majority of small to medium sized business are not thriving with money to burn at exhibitions. I work in an industrial field and have found over the last 10 years exhibitions give a very poor return. Sometimes companies 'need to be seen' and are reluctant to go, but spend the money anyway. Others weigh up thier chances, and when money is tight the exhibition budget is cut. The show organisers do not do themselves any favours, a/ with exhorbitant charges for hall space for the exhibitors, then with entry fees and every extra, whether it be, car parking, show guides, or curly sandwiches, . I dont think one person has said anything was great value and they were happy with the value for money. This all leaves a bad taste. The following year that same person may think twice about attending, which seems to be exactly what is happenning. One can go to all sorts of other functions paying loads more money, but come away feeling that you got a good deal for your money, and a smile on your face. Instead of paying £10 for a curly sandwich and a forgettable drink. If for the same price you got a really good sandwich and drink, you would feel good and tell people about it, same with other things, a free simple show guide would be a start, handed out by welcoming staff, not by people who make you feel as if you are interupting their day.
In a nut shell the organisers need to make exhibitors feel warm cozy and NOT ripped off, and the exhibtors may put more effort in. They should both do exactly the same with visitors, so their problems become getting more people in. They seem to be a hell of a long way from that point by all accounts. One could assume that the lack of foreign exhibitors is down to them not considering it to be a worthwhile investment for all the reasons previously given. Dowhill only, unless there is radical change of attitude. I wont be holding my breath.

 

[Nigelpickin]

I think that this will have been the last show at Excel...time will tell but that's the sense that I have.

Manufacturers and dealers are finding more effective ways of engaging with customers and enthusiasts; with lower overheads.

Were the show more about innovation and concepts and less about distressed stock and pop up concessions then maybe it would have stood a chance.

Perhaps a visit to Geneva in March would light the way for the manufacturers in terms of the opportunity missed....?

 

[apollo]

I must say many of the comments are not that surprizing, but certainly dissapointing. Despite noises to the contrary the vast majority of small to medium sized business are not thriving with money to burn at exhibitions. I work in an industrial field and have found over the last 10 years exhibitions give a very poor return. Sometimes companies 'need to be seen' and are reluctant to go, but spend the money anyway. Others weigh up thier chances, and when money is tight the exhibition budget is cut. The show organisers do not do themselves any favours, a/ with exhorbitant charges for hall space for the exhibitors, then with entry fees and every extra, whether it be, car parking, show guides, or curly sandwiches, . I dont think one person has said anything was great value and they were happy with the value for money. This all leaves a bad taste. The following year that same person may think twice about attending, which seems to be exactly what is happenning. One can go to all sorts of other functions paying loads more money, but come away feeling that you got a good deal for your money, and a smile on your face. Instead of paying £10 for a curly sandwich and a forgettable drink. If for the same price you got a really good sandwich and drink, you would feel good and tell people about it, same with other things, a free simple show guide would be a start, handed out by welcoming staff, not by people who make you feel as if you are interupting their day.
In a nut shell the organisers need to make exhibitors feel warm cozy and NOT ripped off, and the exhibtors may put more effort in. They should both do exactly the same with visitors, so their problems become getting more people in. They seem to be a hell of a long way from that point by all accounts. One could assume that the lack of foreign exhibitors is down to them not considering it to be a worthwhile investment for all the reasons previously given. Dowhill only, unless there is radical change of attitude. I wont be holding my breath.

Yep agree with all that, the Owners of Excel are shooting themselves in the foot, by all means make a profit but they have been turning the screws far too much both on the Exhibitors and the Visitors.
Great shame but I also believe this will be the last show - put it out of its misery.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

I must say many of the comments are not that surprizing, but certainly dissapointing. Despite noises to the contrary the vast majority of small to medium sized business are not thriving with money to burn at exhibitions. I work in an industrial field and have found over the last 10 years exhibitions give a very poor return. Sometimes companies 'need to be seen' and are reluctant to go, but spend the money anyway. Others weigh up thier chances, and when money is tight the exhibition budget is cut. The show organisers do not do themselves any favours, a/ with exhorbitant charges for hall space for the exhibitors, then with entry fees and every extra, whether it be, car parking, show guides, or curly sandwiches

You're absolutely right. I too work in the industrial field and my company and the manufacturers we represent attend many exhibitions around the world, some of which are worth attending and some of which aren't. UK exhibition costs for exhibitors are indeed exhorbitant compared to the rest of Europe. For example, my company was recently invited to attend a small UK start-up exhibition at which the space costs were higher than the most well established exhibition in our field (in Germany)! Obviously I declined and in fact the exhibition died. We do exhibit at another UK exhibition but because the organisers have a reasonable attitude to cost and know they won't attract exhibitors unless they keep the costs low.
My impression also is that costs at LIBS are indeed very high and that is part of the reason that foreign exhibitors stay away. The other part of course is it's proximity to Dusseldorf at which those same foreign manufacturers have to be so of course when budgets are tight, they're going to ditch LIBS. As I said in a previous post, I don't see how LIBS can attract more exhibitors without incentivising them to be there and I guess they'll be reluctant to do that because of the support the exhibition receives from UK manufacturers. Personally, I think exhibitions in their present form have had their day. In times when every budget is under pressure, companies are looking more at targeting their marketing spend far more accurately with things like in house shows and special invite only events.