It feels as though it’s only just ended, but boot 2026 is already four months behind us, and planning for the upcoming show is in full swing at Messe Düsseldorf.
From May, all water sports-related sectors can register for boot Düsseldorf 2027 (23 to 31 January) at www.boot.com. Naturally, the boot team will once again be on hand to offer personalized advice and information.
“This year, we have felt the special spirit, the magic and, at the same time, the business engine of boot. In Düsseldorf, the latest trends come to life. This makes boot the international innovation forum and barometer for the entire water sports industry. I look forward to every single conversation with you, our exhibitors, and to working together to make January in Düsseldorf the center of the global maritime market once again,” explains boot Director Petros Michelidakis.
boot’s impressive figures underline the Director’s statement: Over 200,000 visitors travelled to the capital of North Rhine-Westphalia from more than 100 countries. 69,000 of them came to the Rhine from other European countries and overseas. And these boot fans are very keen to invest, as 44 per cent of them made purchases directly at the fair. The impressive success of the trade fair is certainly also based on the exceptionally high media coverage of boot 2026. In total, it recorded an international reach of almost 1.3 billion!
For exhibitors, participation in Düsseldorf’s world-leading trade fair offers the opportunity to achieve sales success directly during the event. This is confirmed by 83 per cent of companies, who are satisfied with their business success in Düsseldorf. A cornerstone of this success is reaching the right target audience, as confirmed by 96 per cent of the exhibitors at boot 2026.
Construction modernization work at the Düsseldorf Exhibition Center requires a slightly modified hall layout for boot 2027. Hall 9 is being refurbished and will not be available for the boot trade fairs in 2027 and 2028. Exhibitors with RIBs (inflatable boats) and dinghies/tenders from Hall 9 will find their home in the new Motorboat Hall 17, where they will be part of boot’s Motorboat Walk. Surfing and paddling are moving to Hall 12, which, with its XXL pool and the ‘World of Paddling’, offers plenty of action and fun for everyone. Diving is once again completely under one roof in Hall 13, and the Destination Boatlife segment in Hall 14 presents charter operators, houseboats and marinas for holidays by and on the water.
Despite the construction work, access from the main north entrance of the exhibition center to Halls 10, 11 and 12 is possible without any problems. A wide, specially protected, covered walkway guides all visitors safely through Hall 9, which is currently undergoing renovation. Michelidakis: “We are, of course, designing the walkway in the boot ‘look and feel’, making it attractive for our visitors. Our new hall layout ensures quick passage both for those wishing to move from Halls 4 and 5 to the Eastern Halls and for visitors coming from the North Entrance. Our colleagues at the CARAVAN SALON have already had positive experiences with this, and we will now be able to implement it effectively.”
The boot Director is also sending an important signal to the industry for the future: “We have seen how positively the 2026 boot has impacted the success of the water sports industry. boot and you – the exhibitors, dealers, charter companies and destinations – will once again have the shared task in 2027 of bringing the international industry together for a major gathering in Düsseldorf. Over the coming months, we will steadily step up our marketing efforts to captivate and mobilize people in all key target markets for boot in January 2027. This successful commitment and the resulting high international and professional caliber of our visitors set us apart in Düsseldorf and ensure a successful start to the new year for the industry. This truly makes us unique worldwide.”
The world's largest yacht and water sports fair
With more than 200,000 visitors from over 100 countries and nearly 1,500 exhibitors in Halls 1 to 17, boot Düsseldorf is the world's largest yacht and water sports fair. Both sailors and motor boaters will find a wide variety of boats, dinghies, superboats or luxury yachts. The popular water sports of diving, surfing, kite surfing, stand up paddling, skimboarding or canoeing are available at boot in all facets and with the appropriate equipment. Attractive stage programs with the stars of the scene, the latest trends and a high-caliber mix of workshops and hands-on activities, both for leisure sports enthusiasts and experts, make the fair unique worldwide. But marine conservation and innovative, sustainable technologies will also be in focus at boot 2027. In cooperation with the European Boating Industry (EBI), for example, the blue innovation dock offers a unique dialogue format with political, economic, technological and media expertise. The next edition of boot Düsseldorf will open its doors from 23 to 31 January 2027. www.boot.com
