The Boat Show

The pleasure boating industry is currently experiencing a significant revival across Italy, particularly in the Costa Smeralda and throughout Sardinia, thanks to increasingly specialized tourism services capable of attracting high-end visitors arriving by sea.

The Gulf of Olbia and its adjacent industrial area are now able to offer top-level hospitality and technical support services, with an advanced system for storage and refitting, and a strong potential for further development in the large yacht sector. Confirming this growth, a 2024 study on yacht traffic ranked Gallura as the leading destination for superyachts, with over 4,600 arrivals between June and September during the year analyzed.

The area is also becoming an important academic center, thanks to the launch of the Naval Engineering degree program at the University of Cagliari and the establishment of the new Department of Nautical Innovation at the University of Sassari. Both initiatives are supported by UniOlbia and funded by the Regional Department of Planning.

The best way to showcase the area’s production, hospitality, technical, and natural potential is through an event dedicated to pleasure boaters and superyacht crews. The goal is to highlight the technical and hospitality excellence offered by the local industrial facilities, the urban fabric that caters to families, and the strategic advantages of the area for high-end charter operators — a sector that, even in 2020, recorded a significant increase in revenue, as certified by Confindustria Nautica analyses.

This edition will also honor the recent passing of Prince Karim Aga Khan, founder of Costa Smeralda and a vital figure in the international development of the island and its nautical sector, through dedicated activities.

Protected by a small natural inlet that stretches from Punta Nuraghe to Punta Volpe, a tourist marina that offers all the comforts for boaters.

The Marina of Porto Rotondo is the ideal location to host the Fiera Nautica di Sardegna: it has always earned the admiration and appreciation of the international nautical tourism elite. Easy and secure access to moorings, combined with a refined yet understated surrounding environment, has made it one of the most sought-after destinations in the entire Mediterranean.

Spring 2026 – This period is ideal for several reasons: it extends the tourist season, benefits from favorable weather conditions, and takes advantage of holidays that facilitate the arrival of boaters who already know and frequent the area — as well as those who haven’t yet chosen it as a destination. It’s a perfect time to enjoy the typical colors and scents of Sardinia!

By combining local forces and with the support of internationally specialized professionals in the pleasure boating sector, CIPNES, organizer of the Fair, with the support of the Sardinia Region through its Departments of Planning and Industry, each contributes resources to ensure the realization of a high-level event — one that will attract, whenever possible, the major players in the boating and yachting industries.

CIPNES – The North East Sardinia-Gallura Provincial Industrial Consortium, formed by the Province of Sassari, the Municipalities of Olbia, Monti, Buddusò, and the Chamber of Commerce of Sassari, is an association of local public bodies aimed at promoting the region’s economic and productive development.

Over the years, CIPNES has become a driving force for Gallura’s economic and social progress, directly supporting the businesses operating within its jurisdiction.

Confindustria Nautica – Confindustria Nautica is a non-profit association that, since 1967, has represented Italy’s pleasure boating industries and enterprises. It works to support the development of the sector, promote maritime culture, and boost nautical tourism across the country.

• Promoting the internationalization of Sardinian boating and Italian-made excellence, with a strong focus on local production promotion.
• Providing maximum international visibility to the host location among the yachting and luxury audiences, with targeted communication, including in non-nautical media outlets.
• Allowing the audience — including superyacht crews and owners — to fully recognize the area’s hospitality and technical capacity, even for maxi yachts.
• Encouraging the perception of Olbia and its Gulf as a destination, not just a transit point, thanks to the tourism services and hospitality now available.
• Highlighting both new boat production and the network of companies specializing in routine and extraordinary maintenance for yachts operating in the area.
• Stimulating the choice of Olbia as a homeport for large yachts — an asset of particular importance for the local production system, especially outside the summer season.