Boating in the export recovery plan
The government has adopted a recovery plan specifically designed to support companies working in the export sector. As this accounts for more than 75% of the turnover of the yachting sector, many yachting professionals are eligible for executive support. The scheme takes the form of "export recovery vouchers", open to SMEs and small and medium-sized businesses, intended to finance export support services provided by approved operators. Each company can benefit from 4 of them before 31 December 2021, according to precise terms and conditions. These may be audit, market analysis or communication missions, as well as participation in trade fairs within the French pavilions. "This is one of the flagship measures of the recovery plan, already available to companies," emphasises Arnaud Pellichero, a yachting referent within Business France, one of the operators approved by the State.
French Pavilion at Boot Düsseldorf
Among the actions carried out by Business France, the organization of the French Pavilion at major international trade shows are among the most visible. The organization, which ceased in 2020 to carry that of METS Amsterdam, has chosen to return to the Boot Düsseldorf. "We had been organizing the pavilion at METS for more than 10 years. Our mandate was to put our French companies in the limelight at the METS Trade show, now we are leaving the torch to the Fédération des Industries Nautiques to continue organising the show. This allows us to invest in other shows," explains Sébastien Vicente, head of the Art de Vivre department at Business France, on which nautical industries depend.
"The last French pavilion at Le Boot dates from 2016. By listening to the players in the sector and their needs, and identifying with our offices in the different countries the target markets for boating, we have chosen to organize this France pavilion at Boot in 2021. The choice had been made before the Covid-19 pandemic, but it is all the more relevant as we hope that it will be the event to relaunch the boating industry and a means of activating new contracts", Arnaud Pellichero explains.
For this first return, the actions of Business France will be concentrated in the equipment manufacturers' hall, but "sub-pavilions" for the other sectors of activity are envisaged for the following years. A market study for the United States, Australia and South Africa will be made available to participants.
A mission of discovery is also being planned at the Surf Expo in Orlando to study the event and organize meetings with board sports players.
