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BY A CORRESPONDENT
October 17, 2006
Boats and backwaters. Kerala Tourism’s current fad floats gleefully on the backwaters of Kochi. South Asia’s definitive boat show, the India International Boat Show (IIBS) promoted by the Kerala Tourism Department, would be kicked off October 20 at the Le Meridien International Convention Centre in Kochi. The fifth edition of the IIBS has been formatted as a business exhibition and will have on show special segments on leisure boating, marine equipments, marine engines and navigational and telecommunication aids.
The IIBS this year will have participation from big names like British Marine Federation, the UK’s apex marine industry association, GulfCraft, GC Marine and Art Marine from the UAE. The event, approved by the India Trade Promotion Organisation, has the backing of none other than the Indian Navy, the Coast Guard, Indian Customs and India Tourism. Among the 60-odd exhibitors lined up are Bayliner, Trophy, Ferretti, Walker Bay, Regal along with marine equipment market leaders like Garmin, Lalizas, Plastimo, Vetus den Ouden and Volvo Penta.
Boat builders like Praga Marine, Samudra Shipyard, Master Shipyard, KSINC, Matha Marine, Century Shipyard, Alcock Ashdown, Seaspray Aluminium Boats, Hunter Marine and Aries Marine would form the Indian participants. This year, the organisers have also lined up a display of traditional boat building and fishing equipment. Besides all these attractions is a seminar on marine tourism.
IIBS 2006 will run for three days starting 20 October. With the participation of around 400 buyers from different parts of India as well as from overseas, IIBS is being positioned as a platform for the Indian boating and marine industry to identify or appoint agents and distributors, meet potential partners, hold one-to-one meetings with future buyers and do business.
The show will be inaugurated by Kerala’s Minister for Tourism Kodiyeri Balakrishnan. The organisers have also brought in a special feature on the traditional boating sector of Kerala to mark IIBS 2006. So pack your bags, head for Kochi to have a glimpse of the best watercraft from around the globe.
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