Volga Boat Show

Volga Boat Show

The Volga Boat Show is a major international on-water exhibition showcasing motorboats, sailboats, boat equipment, and luxury goods. It takes place in the Samara region at the ultramodern yacht port "Druzba." The program includes both in-water and land exhibitions, test-drives, presentations, training sessions, regattas, water sports competitions, concerts, art galleries, and even an air show. The Volga Boat Show annually attracts more than 5,000 visitors from various countries.

History

The Volga Boat Show was designed by Maksim Godovykh in 2012 with the goal of fostering the boatbuilding industry and supporting new projects and innovations in boat infrastructure. Since its inception, numerous exhibitors have participated in both on-land and on-water exhibitions. The program has expanded to include test-drives, presentations, training sessions, workshops, water sports competitions, concerts, art performances, and more. In 2013, the program introduced the Volga Boat Show sailboat regatta, and in 2014, it incorporated family-friendly events. In 2015, in addition to business and trade show events, the program featured an Air Show, art gallery, concerts, and a wide range of educational activities.

The Volga Boat Show even has its own anthem, authored by Maksim Godovykh and Igor Savintsev.

Exhibits

Volga Boat Show

The Volga Boat Show features major international brands, including Galeon, Princess, Chris-Craft, Bavaria, Greenline, Cranchi, Polar Star, Elan, Pedro, Fairline, Beneteau, Nimbus, as well as Cobalt, Crownline, Bella, Yamarin, Velvette, Sea Ray, Quintrex, Finval, Volzhanka, Victory, Mobile Group, Salute, Kingfisher, Travelling, Courier, Commander, BRP, Yamaha, Malibu, MasterCraft, Lowrance Simrad, Porsche, Aviatech seaplanes, and a wide range of other exhibits, luxury products, services, and equipment for yachts, boats, yacht clubs, and water recreation.

Awards

The Volga Boat Show has received several accolades, including the Grand Prix of the national award in event tourism, the "National Event Award." It was also recognized as the best national business event of 2014 and received the "Open Event Expo Award" in 2015.

Reviews

• Maksim Godovykh, Organizer of the Volga Boat Show: "The Volga Boat Show is not just a trade fair but an important tool for developing the national boat market. We present the Volga Boat Show on the world stage and engage with major manufacturers worldwide. We host an annual exhibition, a boatbuilding forum, and a nationwide contest of boat projects, which has received hundreds of applications."
• Andrey Boyko, Burevestnik Group: "We really enjoyed it. It's a great exhibition, and this is our first time participating here, but we've been observing its development since last year. We understand that this region is very promising, and this event is significant for all the major cities around. We see that there are many real buyers here. We are very satisfied and, as always, optimistic. We plan to support this event in the future."
• Anton Akopov, Boatmarket: "I really enjoyed the event. All the major players in the regional market were present. The organization was at a fairly high level. People I know, buyers in this region, were all there and promised to return. Everyone was aware of the exhibition. I liked it a lot. It would be great if the pontoons were twice as wide, so we could set up stands, reception desks, and people next to the yachts. But overall, I liked everything, and I believe that the exhibitors who participated this year will continue to do so in the future. We certainly will."
• Karl Gilding, Sunseeker International Ltd.: "It was a pleasure to attend the Volga Boat Show. It was a long journey for me from England, but it was worth it to see the fantastic exhibition here by the river and to understand how important boating is in the region, especially for our factory. It's a shame we couldn't bring some of our big boats here; it's too far from Moscow. Perhaps in the future, we will have some boats on display here, but for now, we have models in the small display area. It's a very good show, and I think the region has great potential."
• Denis Ermakov, Polboat: "There were many visitors who were genuinely interested in boats, a lot of potential clients, and we plan to maintain contact with them in the future. The organizers delivered on all their promises, and we liked everything. There are some minor nuances that could be addressed in the future, such as allowing participants to access water directly at their locations on the land to maintain their boats. Otherwise, everything is good."
• Sergei Zhirov, Jay Tee, Official Yamaha Dealer: "Everything is good, especially for Togliatti. In terms of the customer base, it's excellent. I've been to exhibitions in France, and they are less substantial with a smaller, less powerful contingent than what we have here. We saw all our VIP clients here."
• Alina Pershina, Smart Yachts: "I'm quite pleased with the exhibition. It's our first regional exhibition. We were pleasantly surprised by the number of people, the weather, and the organization. We hope to see more exhibitions like this in the future. We hope this sets a great example for holding such exhibitions in other regions."
• Mark Lantsov, Moryeman, Volga Yacht Service: "No one expected such scale and organization from a regional exhibition! We approached the event thoroughly and presented both boats and yachts on the water and our Moryeman stores in the pavilion. There was a continuous stream of interested visitors for all three days, and from the beginning, questions about the next exhibition were raised because many didn't have the chance to showcase their companies or offer their vessels for sale. This exhibition has confidently surpassed all other club exhibitions in the country, and the economic impact, at least for us, exceeded that of the Moscow Boat Show. I am confident that the Volga Boat Show can compete with the largest international exhibitions."
• Ivan Ivanov, Brandt: "In principle, we liked everything. The exhibition was successful. Not only the number of visitors surprised us but also the number of brands represented. Next year, we will definitely participate, and besides boats, we will likely bring Polaris equipment. The exhibition had the right target audience and buyers. People came from Kazan, Ufa, and Cheboksary specifically to see our equipment. We were pleased with the organization of the exhibition. Having experience in three Moscow Boat Shows, I must say it's much more flexible here, and you can negotiate about everything without any problems."
• Victor Lider, True Ships Shipyard: "Unexpectedly for me, the VOLGA boat show turned out to be very effective and quite productive. I had more than a dozen business meetings and negotiations over two days, and I expect very real results from them. I think with each passing year, this exhibition will gain popularity and truly cover the entire Volga region. This event was long overdue, and it's essential that it started with such success."
• Sergey Karyakin, Motor Oil: "I liked everything at the exhibition. The event was organized at a high level. There were plenty of visitors, and there was a wide variety of equipment. We eagerly await the next invitation to participate!"
• Igor Belunin, Volvo Penta: "There was a significant amount of business-oriented visitors who came here purposefully. This is not just my opinion, but also the opinion of the boat manufacturers who exhibit here. Many visitors showed a keen interest. In my opinion, this time, there was not enough representation of accessories and spare parts. However, when compared to other exhibitions, it was very impressive overall."
• Yuriy Korobkov, Volga Yachting: "I have the best impressions of the exhibition. I believe the exhibition was a success, and it went really well right from the start. My most vivid impressions are, of course, about the exhibition organizers. Everything was great. I think it will be even better next year."
• Vladislav Kachaev, Navigator Samara: "I'm glad that we finally have such an exhibition here. Moreover, I frequently attend similar events, and I must say that the VOLGA boat show was organized at the highest level. I believe it has invigorated both sellers and buyers, as well as manufacturers, positioning the Samara region as a potential center for Russian yachting and small shipbuilding."
• Mikhail Klopoukh, Velvette Marine: "In my opinion, this exhibition is absolutely essential for the Volga region. One test drive of a boat on the water replaces countless discussions with a dealer. The Velvette team was pleasantly surprised that the exhibition attracted a large number of participants and guests right from the start. If the organizers make this event an annual occurrence, I'm confident it will become a hub for selling watercraft. People will eagerly await the exhibition as a place not only to look but also to buy equipment for the season. Therefore, I suggest holding the event in May. We are looking forward to the next exhibition!"
• Vladimir Sukhikh, Olymp-Group: "The exhibition truly surprised me. It impressed everyone, from the location (the yacht club is amazing) to the city itself. I really liked the organization, well done. The number of participants is impressive. I liked that there were many warm leads at the exhibition. They may be retail customers, but they are customers nonetheless. Unlike the Moscow exhibition at Crocus Expo, which felt more grandiose, it seemed to have fewer targeted customers compared to here. We will see the results later, but there was a lot of interest. We had around 70 people registered, if not more, who showed real interest in purchasing a boat in this price range."
• Igor Shapovalov, Aerosoyuz Helicopter Company: "I had wonderful impressions, and I thank the organizers for getting me to this exhibition. I've decided that the regional market is interesting, and we should participate in regional exhibitions, especially if you are the organizers. The organization was excellent, and I really enjoyed it. Well done, thank you very much."
• Rinat Asfyandyarov, Yacht Marine, Beneteau Dealer: "The exhibition organizers did an excellent job. I am honestly surprised that they managed to gather such a large number of exhibitors, and they were very serious, with substantial boats. Thanks to the weather. I believe that for our region, conducting such an exhibition will give a significant boost to the development of motorized watercraft. I have one more suggestion: pay more attention to sailboats and develop the sailing theme. We will try to do our part to ensure that the Beneteau company also pays more attention to the sailing theme at the next exhibition."
• Yulia Koshkina, Metrolg AO: "Thanks to the exhibition, our company gained not only new clients ready for further cooperation but also a wealth of positive impressions overall. Everything was commendably organized—from the location to the efficiency of all staff and people involved in the exhibition. Throughout the event, we didn't encounter any organizational issues. It's a pleasure to work with such people!"

See also

• Boat show