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Korea International Boat Show, to Grow as the Representative Boat Show in Asia

Posted on: Wednesday, 17 June 2009, 19:55 CDT

SEOUL, South Korea, June 17 /PRNewswire/ -- The second "Korea International Boat Show 2009 and the Korea Match Cup World Yacht Contest" that ended on June 7 has been evaluated as being able to grow as a representative boat show of Asia, having had positive results despite obstacles of an economic recession and North Korean nuclear problem.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090617/NY34594 )

Gyeonggi Province had about a total of 250,000 visitors coming to the boat show and attained export achievements of 385 contracts amounting to US$ 86 million through its export consultation meeting.

This is lower than the initial target the province expected, but the achievements is a US$ 26 million increase from last year's US$ 60 million despite global economic recession.

The province self-evaluated that the event was an opportunity for the Korean maritime leisure industry to leap a step higher, as export contracts increased much although the number of visitors decreased due to economic recession and the problem of North Korea's nuclear test.

Vice-president Tim Coventry of the British Maritime Federation said at the conference held during the event, "It is amazing that the Korea International Boat Show is equipped with the scale and facilities commensurate to a world boat show in two years of its start." He continued, "It played the role of upgrading one level higher the Korean maritime leisure industry."

At this year's International Boat Show, 115 Korean companies, 166 foreign companies amounting to a total of 281 companies participated in the exhibition. This is a 17 percent increase from last year's 240 and in particular a 37 percent increase as for participating foreign companies.

The World Yacht Contest where 12 teams from 8 countries participated, Paolo Cian (Italy), who ranks fourth in the International Sailing Federation (ISAF), won.

Paolo Cian competed in the final round against Ian Williams (UK) who ranked first in the World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) organized by ISAF last year by winning the first two matches out of three.

On the other hand, the province held a ceremony for the start of construction of the Jeongok maritime industrial complex in the presence of about 500 people with Governor Kim Moon-soo and Mayor Choi Yeong-geun of Hwaseong participating inside the business department of the industrial complex near Jeongok Port at 3 p.m. on June 3, the opening day of the International Boat Show and World Yacht Contest.

This complex, unlike existing industrial complexes, will be created as a "multi complex" where one can have boats and yachts not only manufactured, but also sold and repaired at one place.

Governor Kim Moon-soo of Gyeonggi Province said, "The maritime multi industrial complex will play a major role not only in developing the boat and yacht industry, but also in vitalizing the regional economy from increased income for the locals." He forecast, "It will settle as the center of the maritime leisure industry in the West Coast of Gyeonggi Province at the same time of creating jobs."

The province plans to build until 2010 the first stage of the maritime industrial complex in the size of 1.87 million (567,000 pyeong) in Ilwon, Jeongok-ri with Korean companies taking up 990,000 (300,000 pyeong), and foreign investment companies 660,000 (200,000 pyeong). It will also have facilities for including R&D and training of 220,000 (67,000 pyeong). During the second stage, it plans to create, centered on the industrial complex of the first stage, a general maritime leisure complex with places for marina, boats, yacht mooring, lodging, shopping so that by 2012 it would become a maritime leisure Mecca.

News Source: http://us.aving.net

SOURCE Korea International Boat Show

Source: PR Newswire

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