Taiwan International Boat Show Draws Over 70 000

The four-day 2014 Taiwan International Boat Show concluded on Sunday after attracting over 70,000 visitors and selling 32 yachts worth NT$1 billion (US$33.17 million), according to the Kaohsiung City government.

Some 26,000 visitors, including 2,500 buyers from China, the United States, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore, showed up at the Kaohsiung Exhibition Center on the show's final day alone, said Lai Jui-lung, head of the city's Marine Bureau.

Lai expected the show to give a boost to businesses in the boating supply chain, including boat manufacturers, yacht hardware makers, and boat maintenance providers, saying that a US$1 investment in the yacht industry could create US$10 worth of business opportunities.

He said that yachts made in Taiwan are not just for export but also for domestic consumption so that local residents have the chance to sail abroad in locally built ships.

The Kaohsiung government is now working toward the creation of an industrial park dedicated to yacht manufacturing and the development of the marine recreation industry in the southern city, Lai said. 

*Images: Wikimedia Commons, William Cho via Flickr (CC 2.0)
*Original story: Focus Taiwan News Channel via Google News (search term: yacht)