Nautical industry and furniture: synergies in the making

Year after year, the nautical industry and interior design refine a shared language: an evolution clearly visible at the 66th International Boat Show in Genoa (October 1-6), which features a significant presence of larger vessels and new synergies with furniture companies exhibiting at Salone del Mobile Milano. The numbers from the Ligurian event depict a healthy and constantly evolving industry: over 1,000 vessels on display, 215 new models debuting, 45 countries represented, and a 4% increase in exhibition space to accommodate the boats.  

The push of superyachts  

The growth of the Yacht & Superyacht dock dominates the Genoa trade fair: the average size of the three largest vessels in each segment has increased by 14.1% compared to 2025. This trend is accompanied by a boom in multihulls, with a 28% increase in units exhibited, confirming shipowners’ search for increasingly larger, more liveable spaces that resemble veritable floating villas.  

The financial impact of the sector was captured by Piero Formenti, President of Confindustria Nautica, when he said, “The significance of this edition’s numbers goes beyond quantitative data, because the Show is a direct expression of the market and the industry it represents. We’re now talking about a sector that has reached 8.6 billion euros in turnover, generates over 13 billion in added value, and employs nearly 170,000people, with approximately 90% of production destined for foreign markets.” 

“The bigger layout on the water, the increase in the size of the boats on display, and the evolution of the various segments speak of a changing industry and an event capable of evolving with it. This is the strength of a Show that is organised by Italy’s national association for the sector – able to listen to companies, interpret their needs, and translate them into a project that combines representation and market, industrial vision and international reach.”