London – Informa Exhibitions added five yacht shows to its growing maritime portfolio by acquiring Yachting Promotions Inc. (YPI) from Active Interest Media (AIM) for $133 million.
The transaction announced on March 2 not only increased its fleet of such in-water boat shows, it also turned Informa into the largest yacht show organizer in the world, the company said.
“The acquisition will further strengthen Informa Exhibitions’ relationship with leading yacht brokers and builders, providing good opportunities for cross promotion and extending customer relationships across platforms and geographies,” said Charlie McCurdy, CEO of Informa Exhibitions.
The acquisition was made in the wake of Informa’s $1.56 million blockbuster deal for Penton.
Informa already owns Europe’s glamourous Monaco Yacht Show, the world’s leading event dedicated to the superyacht industry. The flagship of the YPI shows is the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, the largest such show in the world. The annual November event draws around 100,000 attendees, 1,300 exhibitors and includes more than 1,200 boats displayed on the water. The 58th edition of the show takes place November 2-6, 2017.
The acquisition also netted Informa the Palm Beach International Boat Show, Yachts Miami Beach, the St. Petersburg Power and Sailboat Show and Suncoast Boat Show in Sarasota.
“Combining the world’s premiere show, based in Europe, with these five shows in North America creates a scale player in this attractive and growing vertical, further strengthening our relationship with leading yacht brokers and builders, providing good opportunities for cross promotion and extending customer relationships across platforms and geographies,” said McCurdy.
Efrem “Skip” Zimbalist III, Chairman of AIM, will advise Informa in the transition, and the rest of the YPI team will continue with the company as it moves forward. “We can think of no better company than Informa Exhibitions, with its global resources, to focus on the continued growth and success of these excellent boat shows while continuing to exceed the expectations of their exhibitors and attendees,” said Zimbalist.
Reach Charlie McCurdy at +44 (0) 20 7017 5000 or charlie.mccurdy@informa.com and Efrem “Skip” Zimbalist III at (310) 356-4135 or ezimbalist@aimmedia.com
