The Palma Boat Show is one of the highlights of the nautical calendar in the Balearics. As we all know the nautical industry is vital for the local economy and employs thousands of people. The organisers of the Palma Boat Show, which should have taken place this month, had no option but to postpone it for obvious reasons but I was rather surprised that they have now decided to cancel it completely for this year.
The Balearic government has said that they expect the tourist season to start in August so I can´t see any reason why the Boat Show couldn´t take place in late September or October. I know the fair is meant to herald the start of the nautical season and in September and even October many nautical firms will be (hopefully) busy but we do need a Boat Show even if it takes place at the end of the season. The loss in revenue for Palma alone will be enormous and I think that the Boat Show rather brings the people of Majorca together with the nautical industry.
So I do hope that once the coronavirus crisis has ended the organisers will have a rethink. It is quite understandable with all the uncertainty at the moment that organisers of big events decide to cancel them but there are events which are vital for the local economy and need to take place. Everyone is going to have to make a super human effort at the end of lockdown to get the local economy back on track and the nautical industry is key. The Boat Show needs to take place some time this year.