The largest nautical fair in Central Europe, the 26th Biograd Boat Show, concluded on Sunday at Marina Kornati after a five-day spectacle on land and sea featuring a series of successful business gatherings and agreements.
Ilirija d.d., a tourist company from Biograd na Moru, organized and hosted the fair, gathering a record number of over 450 exhibitors and 500 vessels at this year’s event. More than 25 premiere vessels were showcased, confirming this year’s fair as the most significant nautical event in Croatia and this part of Europe. A notable feature of this year’s largest fair was its expansion to the City Port of Biograd, encompassing the passenger and fishing port, due to the exceptional growth in interest from exhibitors and partners, after 25 years of being held at Ilirija’s Marina Kornati. This was made possible through a partnership and understanding with the city of Biograd na Moru, the Zadar Port Authority, and the local fishing industry.
Ilirija d.d. has a rich 67-year history and a deeply rooted passion for nautical activities that has lasted over 47 years. It is a pioneer in the development of nautical tourism in Croatia, having built the first dedicated nautical tourism port in Croatia 47 years ago and forming the first charter fleet of 40 Elan boats in the same year, marking the beginning of charter tourism in Croatia. This has elevated Biograd to the cradle of nautical tourism in the country, and today, thanks to Ilirija’s dedication and development, it is the third most visited nautical port on the Croatian Adriatic.
The five-day festival of global and European nautical excellence transformed this year’s show into “5 fairs in one,” uniting a boat and equipment exhibition, congress, charter, and business-to-business components, while adding new content – a luxury travel and adventure tourism fair. This enhanced its profile as the congress of the Croatian nautical industry and tourism, infusing it with a note of glamour and luxury, highlighting Croatia’s premium offerings, particularly in nautical tourism, which is our most elite form of tourism. All this is encapsulated in “5 fairs in one”: the 26th Biograd Boat Show – an exhibition fair, the 8th Croatian Nautical Days – a congress fair, the 6th Croatia Charter Expo – a charter fair, the 9th Biograd B2B – a business fair, and the 1st Croatia Luxury and Adventure Travel Show – a luxury and adventure tourism fair.
Although changes have been made to the fair’s appearance every year, this year’s expansion has provided a completely new image, not only for the fair but also for Biograd as the cradle of Croatian nautical tourism, which has emerged surrounded by vessels, allowing the fair to expand to 50,000 square meters.
The exhibition segment of the fair delighted visitors with a significant number of premieres, showcasing over 500 exhibitors from home and abroad. Boat enthusiasts enjoyed more than 25 premiere vessels. Among the most notable premieres was the world premiere of a new concept vessel from Groupe Beneteau called Monomaran, an electric boat with solar panels capable of accommodating eight people, representing a radically new version of the future of nautical design from the world’s largest leisure boat manufacturer. Several luxury boat brands such as Sanlorenzo, Gulfcraft, and Frauscher were also presented.
The Croatian Chamber of Economy traditionally gathered entrepreneurs from the nautical sector during the 8th Croatian Nautical Days to jointly analyze and discuss key topics affecting maritime and nautical tourism as well as defining the future of this prestigious segment of Croatian tourism in light of sustainability, quality, and coexistence with local communities, in accordance with the National Sustainable Tourism Development Plan and the latest updates in the Tourism Act.
The business segment of the fair was organized via an online B2B platform for networking companies in the nautical sector, which has been a unique feature of the Biograd Boat Show for many years. Over 1,000 confirmed meetings arranged through the B2B platform indicate the increasing importance of networking among business partners. Alongside domestic representatives, the B2B program included participants from Slovenia, Austria, Poland, Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, Serbia, the UK, Malta, Monaco, Andorra, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Lithuania, Ukraine, the Czech Republic, Greece, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Turkey, the USA, and Australia.
This year’s 6th Croatia Charter Expo exceeded all previous successes. The participation of foreign and domestic charter companies, agencies, and businesses closely connected to chartering, with participants from over 40 countries worldwide, highlighted the necessity for this gathering. Over 150 registered yacht charter companies, agents, and firms offering services closely linked to chartering, with over 500 accredited participants, turned this exclusive two-day business event into the largest global gathering of charter operators within the nautical fair, with representatives from charter agencies managing over 3,000 vessels.
The 1st Croatia Luxury and Adventure Travel Show attracted special attention, showcasing the largest catamaran exhibition on the Adriatic, located in the City Port of Biograd na Moru, featuring increasingly sought-after and represented luxury vessels from prominent global brands, as well as 20 top-tier automobiles and a range of lifestyle products.
Accompanying Events and Activities
The fair was accompanied by a Festival of Authenticity with around 20 producers of Croatian original products, as well as a comprehensive range of equipment and everything related to nautical activities. Ilirija’s event boat “Nada” served as the stage for after-party gatherings. The legendary entertainment program known as the Biograd Boat Show Experience, beloved by the audience for its dynamism and liveliness, kicked off when the sun set and the exhibitions concluded, bringing vibrant entertainment to the entire city. It included multiple parties and live performances, a special fashion show by the brand Duchess, and the Miss Zadar County competition for Miss Croatia, along with a fireworks display by Orion, and concerts by Disco Magic Band and Soul Fingers.
Thank You from the Organizers and Hosts
As the host and organizer of the fair, Ilirija d.d. would like to thank all the visitors whose support has contributed to maintaining the Biograd Boat Show’s leading position on the Croatian and European nautical map. Special thanks to all exhibitors who enriched the fair this year, and to government bodies, primarily the Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, as well as the units of regional and local government, specifically Zadar County and the City of Biograd na Moru. We also extend our gratitude to the Croatian Tourist Board, the Zadar County Tourist Board, and the Biograd na Moru Tourist Board for their support in making this nautical fair contribute to the fundamental goal of Croatian tourism – year-round tourist offerings. Special thanks to the Croatian Chamber of Economy and the Zadar Chamber of Economy for their contributions to the development and profiling of the fair as the congress of the Croatian nautical industry and tourism through the organization of the 8th HGK Croatian Nautical Days and support for the organization of the Croatia Charter Expo. Finally, we thank the City of Biograd, the Zadar Port Authority, and the fishing companies for enabling the fair’s expansion to the passenger and fishing ports of the City Port of Biograd.
We would also like to highlight the long-standing sponsors, Erste Bank d.d., its group members, and Croatia Osiguranje d.d. We thank all media representatives for conveying the values and messages of the fair to the public, as well as all our colleagues, especially those from the nautical sector, marina and charter representatives, and other tourism professionals.
The five days of the fair, with boat exhibitions in the sea and exhibitor stands along the docks of the third-largest marina in Croatia, along the coastline and docks of the Biograd City Port, have set new records for this event, which holds exceptional significance for Croatian nautical tourism.
What was emphasized at the opening by Goran Ražnjević, the CEO of Ilirija d.d., the host and organizer of the fair, is that the Biograd Boat Show is much more than just a boat exhibition; it serves as a congress for the nautical industry:
“This is a meeting place for all segments of the nautical industry and tourism, not only in Croatia but also in this part of Europe. As the organizer and host of the fair, Ilirija has established the Biograd Boat Show as one of the 36 most significant nautical fairs in the world, as well as the leading nautical fair in Central Europe and the largest nautical fair in Croatia, making Biograd na Moru a center for nautical tourism on the Croatian Adriatic.
The uninterrupted continuity of the Biograd Boat Show for all 26 years of its existence, being the only nautical fair that has not been interrupted even during global economic or health crises, the quality of service and fair content, the growth of all its segments, and the development of further services through recognizing the needs of the nautical industry and tourism, certainly guarantee the ongoing sustainability of the fair as part of an integrated and comprehensive tourism product of Ilirija d.d.”
