Palma welcomes the annual congresses of ICOMIA and IFBSO

Beginning this Sunday, May 25, Palma will become the global center of the nautical industry as it hosts the joint annual congresses of ICOMIA (International Council of Marine Industry Associations) and IFBSO (International Federation of Boat Show Organizers).

For the first time, Palma will host this major international event, bringing together top figures from the global nautical sector— including leaders of nautical industry associations from around the world and the most prestigious international boat shows.

Around one hundred guests are expected, including leaders from major nautical power houses such as New Zealand, Japan, South Africa, Australia, Turkey, and the United States, as well as representatives from most European countries, including France, Italy, and Germany. Also attending will be the presidents and directors of top-tier boat shows such as Düsseldorf, Cannes, Miami, and Barcelona. Many will be accompanied by their families, who will enjoy a parallel program of cultural and culinary experiences, while the main congress agenda focuses on discussions about the future and challenges of the sector.

Marking the midpoint of the event, the official welcome reception for the Annual Congress will take place on Tuesday, May 27 at 7:30 p.m. in the main hall of the Port Centre Building of the Balearic Port Authority. The reception will be attended by key authorities including the President of the Port Authority, Javier Sanz; the Minister for Business, Employment and Energy, Alejandro Sáenz de San Pedro; the Minister for the Sea and Water Cycle, Juan Manuel Lafuente Mir; the Director General for Industry and Industrial Estates, Alfons Gómez; Palma’s First Deputy Mayor for Tourism, Culture, Sports and Municipal Coordination, Javier Bonet; and the Manager of ADR Balears, Silvia Delgado. They will join Darren Vaux, President of ICOMIA, and Niels Klarenbeek, President of IFBSO, in showing institutional support for the Congress, along with the hundred guests taking part in the week’s activities in Palma.

Organized by the Spanish National Association of Nautical Companies (ANEN) and the Association (of Nautical Companies in the Balearic Islands (AENIB), and supported by the Regional Ministry of Business, Employment and Energy through the Balearic Islands Regional Development Agency (ADR Balears), the event will showcase the strength of the Balearic nautical sector to stakeholders from markets across five continents. It also aims to reinforce Palma’s position as a strategic hub for the global nautical industry and create opportunities to connect with influential figures in the world’s leading nautical markets.

The congress agenda will combine technical sessions, working committees, networking events, professional site visits, and social activities, all set against the backdrop of the Mediterranean. Attending industry leaders will visit key nautical facilities across Mallorca, while their families and companions enjoy guided tours and culinary experiences through central Palma, the vineyards of Finca Biniagual, and the Rafa Nadal Academy.

Delegates will take part in a marina tour that includes stops at Port Adriano, Puerto Portals, and Alcudiamar. Later in the week, a tour on the water will link key industry sites, with routes through STP Shipyard Palma, Club de Mar, and the Port of Palma.

Throughout the Congress, various technical committees will be held, along with the general assemblies of both ICOMIA and IFBSO. The agenda also includes expert roundtables, collaborative workshops, and sessions focused on sustainability, market intelligence, marketing, innovation, sales, and the Spanish nautical market. The event concludes on Thursday evening with a gala dinner, capping off a week that reinforces Palma’s growing international relevance in the marine sector.