Nice Boating Tomorrow 2026: an encouraging first edition with strong international reach
The first edition of NICE BOATING TOMORROW, organized by Grand Pavois Organisation came to an end last Sunday after four days in Nice’s marina.
Set against the backdrop of the brand-new Oceanice Convention Centre—where a two-day forum featuring conferences was held—the exhibition village was located along the pontoons, showcasing boats, catamarans and jet ski ready for sea trials with visitors.
Launched in Nice, France NICE BOATING TOMORROW—this international event entirely dedicated to sustainable boating—clearly responds to a growing need, a strong market demand, and an industry-wide priority.
NICE BOATING TOMORROW is set to become a must-attend event for international boating stakeholders shaping both the present and future of recreational boating, navigation, and the new ecosystems connected to these activities.
At NICE BOATING TOMORROW, the 81 exhibitors (40% of whom were international, including from Finland, Croatia, Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom, Italy, Turkey, Portugal, and Monaco) and around 30 boats in water—many available for sea trials—gathered from March 18 to 22 in the marina of Nice’s Old Town, embodying the transition toward more sustainable and responsible boating.
Coming from a wide range of sectors, they all shared a common goal: to steer the boating industry toward a firmly eco-responsible future.
Anaïs Lheureux (General Commissionner, Grand Pavois Organisation)
” The boating industry is undergoing a major transformation: decarbonization, technological innovation, new forms of mobility, ecosystem preservation, sustainable ports and responsible tourism.
These developments—and the responses from industry stakeholders—require platforms for exchange, demonstration, and international cooperation capable of bringing together professionals, startups, regions, institutions, experienced boaters, newcomers, and the public.
This was precisely the ambition of Grand Pavois Organisation and the objective of Nice Boating Tomorrow to unite all these stakeholders, dedicate a specific event to them, and offer an international-level Forum with conferences to discuss all these topics.
Our aim was also to engage all audiences—boaters and non-boaters alike, young and old-in order to raise awareness as widely as possible.”
An international forum…
« This first edition of the Forum was a success, featuring 48 international speakers and 189 participants from Thursday at 2:00 PM and Friday at 4:00 PM.
What stands out in particular is the diversity of nationalities represented, with participants from Germany, Bulgaria, Poland, the United Kingdom, Monaco, Belgium, Finland, Canada, Italy, Croatia, and of course France.
The Forum brought together international experts, keynote speakers, and leaders in sustainable boating to share their experiences, products, projects, and strategic visions.
These speakers represented the different sectors of recreational boating, maritime innovation, the energy transition, and new technologies applied to the boating industry.
We would like to highlight the participation of the Directorate General for Maritime Affairs, Fisheries, and Aquaculture (DGAMPA) represented by Elise Dumesnil, as well as Patrick Hemp (Icomia), Adria Jover (IEMA), Rachel Moreau (Econav), Marianela Clavier (Freedom Boat Club), Yannick Wileveau (AFBE), Ivana Lazarevic (Aper), Christophe Piana (Econav), Arnaud Cacquevel (Bretagne Sailing Valley), Katarzyna Panasiuk (University of Gdynia, Poland), and many international CEOs from both established and emerging brands.
We should also mention two distinguished keynote speakers: naval architect Marc Van Peteghem and Simon Wauters (CEO of the Rossignol Group), who shared insights from this major French outdoor sports brand.
It was also important to create cross-sector connections with other industries to provide inspiring perspectives for the boating sector.
This forum was truly high-quality and, above all, perfectly reflected the current reality through concrete, real-life testimonials. Today, the priority is to move into action and deliver practical solutions—this is what we have sought to achieve. »
Initial feedback…
While the economic climate and the timing—particularly with the second round of municipal elections—were not ideal in terms of overall visitor numbers, the first key takeaway is the high level of the exhibitor satisfaction.
All exhibitors appreciated having an event entirely dedicated to sustainable boating. Some noted that it was the first time they had been brought together in one place, rather than being scattered among other exhibitors, as at traditional shows.
Many reported strong business activities on Thursday and Friday, engaging with a high-quality audience genuinely interested in the solutions presented.
The visitor profile was clearly more B2B-oriented than B2C, with strong international representation—over 20 countries—including visitors from the United States, China, Finland, Portugal, Spain, Ukraine, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Algeria, the Netherlands, Monaco, Canada, Hungary, Bulgaria, Sweden, Finland, the Czech Republic, and the United Kingdom.
On the media side, 85 journalists were accredited, also representing a wide range of nationalities including Italian, British, German, Greek, Finnish and Ukrainian press.
The event’s location in Nice is a clear advantage, especially as it aligns with the United Nations Ocean Conference held in July 2025. Nice has all the assets to become a future hub for eco-responsible boating.
We would like to thank the Nice Côte d’Azur Tourist Office, our key partner, as well as the City of Nice and the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolitan Authority.
We now look forward to building the future of this event together, having already signed a memorandum of understanding for two additional editions.”
TESTIMONIALS:
David Ficheux, Industrial Designer – DFXcreation (France)
« Nice Boating Tomorrow was a highlight, full of meaningful exchanges and shared reflections. I particularly appreciated the collective commitment to steering the boating industry toward more environmentally friendly solutions. This momentum is essential for building a sustainable future. »
Gilles Wagner, CEO - Sea Loop Marine (France)
« We discovered a vibrant community dedicated to sustainable boating and are proud to have unveiled, in a world premiere, the first images and details of our Loopia 290 Family. The enthusiasm we received reinforces our plans for the future: we have already reserved a larger booth, as well as a berth for 2027, to showcase the Loopia 290 Family in full scale.»
Emil Finne, CEO –Elvene Shipyard (Finland)
« The Nice Boating Tomorrow show brought together most European electric boat manufacturers in one place, attracting a very targeted audience! For us at ELVENE, it was undoubtedly the ideal event to showcase our latest model, the AMY, the world’s fastest solar-electric production boat. Boats need to be presented and tested on the water, and having the opportunity for full-day, daily trials is the perfect way to experience an innovative new product.».
