Cancellation of the Cannes Yachting Festival 2020
Until recently, the organisers were confident that the Cannes Yachting Festival 2020 would take place. A press release issued at the end of July 2020 titled: "The Yachting Festival confirms its holding". It seems that the extension of the decrees maintaining the need for exemption for events welcoming more than 5,000 people has been the end of the Cannes Yachting Festival. Numerous concordant sources indicated this morning to BoatIndustry that the decision to cancel the Cannes 2020 boat show had been taken on the evening of 21 August. Official confirmation should arrive soon.
A health and economic challenge
If the announcement took so long, it is probably due to administrative decisions. After the extension until the end of October of the 5000-person limit on the trade fair and exhibition gauge, the polemics surrounding the exemption granted by the prefect of the Vendée to the Puy-du-Fou, led the administration to be more cautious. The cancellation of the Chalons-en-Champagne Fair showed this again recently.
A new economic challenge for the organizer and exhibitors now opens up. Such a late cancellation comes at a time when the main investments have already been made, both by Reed Expo and by the professionals present. The transfer of the boats had already started, as can be seen from the photos shared by many boat brands.
In addition to the money involved, boat builders, distributors and dealers will have to find new ways to reach boaters. While private boat shows are developing for many large shipyards, the exercise is more complex for smaller companies that rely on owner-operated boats or boats made available by the manufacturer for the duration of the event.
What about the rest of the French nautical season?
Arriving shortly afterwards, between 29 September and 4 October, the Grand Pavois de la Rochelle communicated on the morning of 21 August about its request for exemption sent to the Charente-Maritime prefecture. The organisers made no secret of their questions about the terms of the decision: differences between indoor and outdoor events, the 5,000 per day or at time T gauge, precise rules for granting exemptions.
The Nautic de Paris, expected to be indoors in December, could be the last survivor of the boat shows in France in 2020.
