UK’s largest indoor boat show acquired by NEC Group

The UK marine show Boatlife, which takes place each February in Birmingham, has been acquired by the NEC Group.

Organisers of the show, which is in its third year, say Boatlife is now “heading into a new era of growth” under the ownership of NEC Group’s newly established event division, Pendigo Events.

The 2024 edition of Boatlife saw attendance figures closely mirroring those of last year’s show. The second edition of Boatlife in 2023 welcomed 14,000 visitors over four days. Since its launch in 2022, Boatlife has become the UK’s biggest indoor boat show.

“The substantial investment from the NEC Group is set to propel Boatlife into an exciting new phase of expansion, marking a significant development in the show’s journey and promising to super-charge the experience for exhibitors and visitors alike,” organisers say.

“Boatlife is the first exhibition in the portfolio of Pendigo Events,” says Anthony Mitchell, managing director of Pendigo Events. “We are proud to be the new owners of the UK’s biggest indoor boat event. Over the past four months, the team has worked tirelessly with the UK marine industry to truly understand what our clients and visitors want and need from BoatLife.

“As the first consumer boat event in the UK calendar (6-9 February 2025), we are excited to be delivering a truly fantastic experience for the marine industry. With more investment to allow us to host new, as well as returning brands, there will be a focus on delivering engaging content and new features to ensure a truly immersive visitor experience. With so much to see and do, we cannot wait to welcome the industry to Boatlife next year.”

As part of the move into Pendigo Events & NEC Group, event director Richard Dove will manage the development of Boatlife going forward.

BoatLife 2025 will take place from 6-9 February 2025.

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