The largest boating event in Northern Europe, Helsinki International Boat Show Vene Båt, was now held online for the first time. Vene 21 Båt online event was held 12–21 February 2021 and offered programme and content, special offers and a chat service for visitors. The event attracted over 52,300 visitors. The programme of the event, and the content, can be viewed until 12 March 2021.

Various boat stores organised events during the Vene 21 Båt online event and many companies began marketing their boats and equipment. The boating industry was visible in multiple channels. The boating season can be said to have started again this year in the second week of February. The Vene 21 Båt online event was visited almost 64,500 times, and the event had 150 exhibitors.

“We all are waiting for Helsinki International Boat Show Vene 22 Båt which will be held at Messukeskus Helsinki next year. This years online event will lay the foundation for next years hybrid event, where in addition to the Vene 22 Båt event held at Messukeskus, we will produce online content and companies will also be able to present online. We are now collecting feedback from both visitors and exhibitors and developing the upcoming hybrid event based on it,” says Sales Group Manager Juha Kuusla from Messukeskus.

“We have worked hard and also learned a lot. This exceptional time has encouraged us to take a big steps forward in digitalisation.”

“The companies in the boat industry joined the online event in large numbers. It is difficult to assess the commerciality of this year’s boat show, as the time is now exceptional in many ways. At the beginning of the year, boats have been sold at a record pace, and I believe that boat sales will continue to be very lively,” says Jarkko Pajusalo, CEO of Finnish Marine Industries Federation Finnboat.

“This year, companies have taken the start-of-season events to their stores, but it is impossible to reach the communality, atmosphere and over 70,000 visitors of the Helsinki International Boat Show. A successful online event strengthens the position of the Vene Båt fair in the Nordic countries.”

Messukeskus will arrange Helsinki International Boat Show Vene 22 Båt on 11–20 February 2022 at Messukeskus Helsinki on behalf of Finnish Marine Industries Federation Finnboat.

Vene 21 Båt online content can be viewed until 12 March.