Join Heesen Yachts at  the Palm Beach International Boat Show

Here’s the scoop about the show and what’s happening in ‘The Palm Beaches’. The 43^rd annual Palm Beach International Boat Show, #PBIBS,  runs March 19-23— due to popular demand, showgoers get one extra day this year. When the show was first introduced, many in the marine industry groaned… ‘Aargh! yet another boat show to have to attend.’ In the beginning, a significant segment of potential exhibitors had a wait- and- see attitude as to whether the draw of Worth Avenue wealth would indeed be worthwhile.  In the years since its debut the show has grown in size and importance and become one of the foremost venues for superyacht sellers and buyers in the U.S. The show is owned by the Marine Industries Association of Palm Beach County MIAPBC) and produced by Informa Markets.

Theo Hooning, Secretary General of The Superyacht Builders Association SYBASS —who consults on the ‘customer advisory board’ of Informa—says, “PBIBS has seen a strong development over the years. It a garners the right audience  and is in the right location for our SYBAss members.” Heesen Yachts, a member of SYBAss, agrees with this assessment.

PBIBS  has indicated that this year there will be 800 boats on display and approximately 55,000 attendees.  The economic impact of the show is expected to be around $1.05B. The yachts on display and exhibitions take place along Flagler Drive in downtown West Palm Beach which is directly across from Palm Beach Island. There is a newly expanded Superyacht Show at Palm Harbor Marina. A dedicated Preview Day on Wednesday, offers attendees an exclusive first look at the exhibits. Complimentary electric golf carts and boat show sprinter vans are available to all attendees free of charge.

Exhibitors all agree that this venue is easy to get around and that the vibe of the show is upbeat. The promise of high income showgoers also contributes to this show’s growing popularity and success. Smaller in size, PBIBS trumps Miami and Fort Lauderdale in money spent according to reports from Alyssa Freeman, executive director of MIAPBC. Theo Hooning comments, “It is not the size of a show, but the quality of clientele — the right audience—that is important.”

So, what exactly is the cachet of Palm Beach? Well, let’s start with its name appeal. In 1877,  the Spanish vessel, Providencia,  was shipwrecked off what is now called Palm Beach. It was conveying a  cargo  of coconuts from Havana to Barcelona and a plethora of coconuts hit the shoreline. Apparently, locals planted them creating a palm tree landscape, leading to the illustrious Palm Beach name.

Besides the lure of palm trees and pretty beaches, the mere name ‘Palm Beach’ triggers a vision  of dollar signs. Most people are aware that  the  US President Donald J Trump owns the Mar- a- Lago estate in Palm Beach and spends a lot of time in residence there. Originally built for Marjorie Merriweather Post in 1924-1927 and touted as the ‘Jewel of Palm Beach,’ Mar-a-Lago was purchased by Trump in 1985 and in 1995, he established the property as an exclusive club — inclusive of  a golf course, spa, championship tennis courts, beach club and such. Today it is a hotbed of high profile celebrity events.

According to  The Palm Beach Post’s analysis of  Forbes’s list of the world’s wealthiest people in 2024, at least 65 billionaires have residential ties to Palm Beach. Also, Palm Beach has one of the highest per capita incomes in the US. Multitudes of multi -millionaires and billionaires live on South Ocean Boulevard known as ‘billionaires row’.

Palm Beach and West Palm Beach are affectionately referred to in the plural as The Palm Beaches. Palm Beach International airport is quite convenient to town. The tri-rail/ tri-rail.com provides daily train service from Miami airport and the Brightline /gobrightline.com provides services from Miami/ Aventura and Fort Lauderdale.

Besides coming to the show to look at yachts, other attractions in the area include Worth Avenue shopping,  beaches, and strolling along Clematis street, Palm Beach Zoo and Conservation Society,  and Mounts Botanical Gardens , historic Flagler Museum and the Kravis Center for Performing Arts . Also, a popular destination is The Breakers an iconic 140-acre ocean resort, originally built in 1896 by Henry Morrison Flagler.

On the campus of the show, The Windward Club at the Lakeside Pavilion offers VIP amenities with a premium open bar and gourmet food selections.  Naturally, there are the usual boat show eateries and concession stands within the show. However, unlike FLIBS, it is very easy to leave the show and find many acceptable and good restaurants with outdoor seating  in walking distance. As  for other Palm Beach local-touted restaurants you can’t go wrong at  Chef Clay Conley’s group of restaurants: Grato; Imoto; and Buccan and for other establishments try the Avocado Grill, Café Boulud, and The Circle at The Breakers.

After a long cold winter, Palm Beach International Boat Show is a good place to be to usher in springtime!

Heesen Yachts  invites you to visit M/Y Santhosha, Book Ends and ELA docked at berth E-301D!

Written by Jill Bobrow