Fort Lauderdale Boat Show Opens Oct. 29; $900M Expected

The 66th Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show opened Oct. 29 and runs through Nov. 2 across seven marinas and venues, including the redeveloped Pier Sixty-Six, with a ribbon cutting attended by Mayor Dean Trantalis. Organizers expect more than 100,000 visitors, roughly 1,000 exhibitors and over 1,000 vessels (some reports cite as many as ~1,300), showcasing everything from center consoles to multi‑million‑dollar superyachts such as the $10.5 million La Luna. The event is projected to generate nearly $900 million in sales and about $1.7–1.78 billion in statewide economic impact while supporting tens of thousands of regional jobs. New highlights include the Honours Awards relocated from Monaco, a Superyacht Village at Pier South, seminars and family programming at the Broward County Convention Center, and upgraded VIP culinary and F&B experiences. Industry representatives said tariffs earlier this year prompted common workarounds like offshore flagging, and recently enacted bonus‑depreciation tax rules have helped revive buyer activity. Officials issued coastal flood advisories for parts of the area and advised attendees to monitor local statements during the show.