14 - 17 May 2026, Post-show report
Looking back at 2026
2026 POST SHOW REPORT
INTRODUCTION
2026 KEY STATS
2026 IN REVIEW
MARKETING
WHY EXHIBIT
The Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show 2026 Numbers don’t lie and this year they told a great story. Visitor numbers dipped just 2% on the previous year, a solid result in a tough economy. But here’s the real headline: average spend per visitor jumped 81% to $6,493. Fewer people walked through the doors but the ones who did meant business. This wasn’t casual foot traffic. Twothirds of visitors were boat owners. 66% were recreational fishers. Over half called themselves fishing enthusiasts. These were buyers, not browsers and 6% of them were buying their first boat. Women made up a growing share of the crowd too, up 2% on last year.
31,423
Total visitors to The Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show in 2026.
Exhibitors clearly felt it. 215 businesses filled the floor, 73 of them brand new to the show in 2026. That’s not a show slowing down. That’s a show attracting fresh energy even as it matures. The takeaway: serious buyers and growing industry confidence.
Thanks for joining us!
2
2026 POST SHOW REPORT
2026 Key Stats INTRODUCTION
2026 KEY STATS
2026 IN REVIEW
MARKETING
WHY EXHIBIT
31,423
VISITORS
231
215
EXHIBITORS
STANDS
2% decrease
$6,493
average visitor spend 81% increase
$1.76m
advertising rate card value
266 Boats 72 Boat Brands 366 Engines 117 Trailers 1000’s of Fishing Products 3
2026 POST SHOW REPORT
Who attended?
77% male**
2026 KEY STATS
2026 IN REVIEW
MARKETING
WHY EXHIBIT
26
% were first time
INTRODUCTION 23% female**
74
a % attended previous
attendees
**
Boat Show**
Under 18
4%
18 - 24 years
8%
25 - 30 years
8%
“I travelled from Tasmania. It was the best boat show I’ve been to. So many brands and the people were so friendly”
31 - 40 years
19%
- Rodney
41 - 50 years
20%
51 - 64 years
28%
65+
13%
AGE GROUPS**
* **
Data collated from 2026 visitor survey. 772 respondents. Data obtained from all 2026 registered tickets.
95
attendees % of rate it excellent or very good*
WHO ARE OUR ATTENDEES* (can be in multiple categories) Boat/Vessel Owner
67%
Recreational Fisher
66%
Fishing Enthusiast
52%
Watersports Enthusiast
18%
Diver
17%
Competitive Fisher
9%
First time Boat/Vessel buyer
6%
3.9hrs
average time spent at the Boat Show*
4
2026 POST SHOW REPORT
Why they attend? 2026did Key Stats TOP 5 REASONS FOR ATTENDING*
INTRODUCTION
WHERE THEY CAME FROM**
To be in to win the Grand Prize - Surtees/Yamaha Boat Package
64%
For a good day out
64%
To discover/research new products or services
55%
To buy show specials
40%
2026 IN REVIEW
Convenience of having lots of products and brands in one place
37%
MARKETING
INTENT TO BUY POST-SHOW*
2026 KEY STATS
WHY EXHIBIT
56%
Planning on a boat sometime in the future
31%
A trailer, motor or engine within next 12 months
26%
Electronics and navigation upgrades
25%
Safety equipment purchases within the next 12 months
25%
Accessories within the next 12 months
20%
56
gear < 12 months*
Auckland 63% Waikato 14%
Bay of Plenty 6%
Other North Island 5%
Fishing gear/equipment upgrade within the next 12 months
to % intend buy fishing
Northland 6%
South Island 5% International 1%
“We go every year. It’s a hands down without fail, rain or shine, as dedicated fans, something myself and partner look forward to every year for the last 23 years” - Kendell 5
2026 POST SHOW REPORT
Marketing with Maximum Reach INTRODUCTION
A nationwide campaign worth over $1.76 million and this year it hit harder than ever. The Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show 2026 rolled out an extensive marketing campaign across every channel that mattered. From traditional print and eye-catching outdoor billboards to dynamic social media and digital takeovers, the show’s marketing efforts left no avenue unexplored. This year’s campaign came with something extra: a brand-new Boat Show jingle got the country humming, while celebrating 70 years. The marketing push carried real weight, turning a milestone anniversary into a nationwide moment.
2026 KEY STATS
The takeaway: bigger reach, fresh ideas, seven decades strong.
Rate card value: $1,764,211
2026 IN REVIEW
MARKETING
WHY EXHIBIT
Print - 14 print ads across NZ Herald Sport, Herald On Sunday, Hawkes Bay Today, Dominion Post, Chinese Herald and more. - 8 ads and editorial in industry publications including; NZ Fishing News, The Adventurer, Fishing In Godzone, Powerboat Magazine and more. - 60,000 copies of the Show Guide Inserted into NZ Herald Saturday prior to show.
Advertising
14 - 17 May 2026 Auckland Showgrounds
Outdoor - 33 billboards across Auckland, Mercer and Thames. - 150 corflutes in targeted locations around Auckland.
Radio -P artnership and promotion with The Rock, The Sound, More FM, Mai Fm and George FM. -K ey activations in the lead up to the show with nationwide coverage with The Rock giving away flights, accommodation and tickets to the show. More FM also ran a nationwide promotion to give away a family weekend at The Boat Show. Regionally we also had great promotions with The Rock giving away a fishing trip on the Grand Prize boat, loads of ticket giveaways, onsite promotion from The Rock and The Sound and more. -O ver 2,427 radio spots across NZME and beyond.
70 years hooked on boating and fishing! WIN $380K Surtees Yamaha Boat Package
Check Out
250+ boats
WIN a daily Viking Kayak
Meet Sea-lebrities
Help us celebrate our 70th anniversary and explore the latest gear and cutting-edge marine tech, be in to win the $380k+ Surtees/Yamaha grand prize* and so much more! *Terms and conditions apply see boatshow.co.nz
Grab your tickets now at boatshow.co.nz
Print Ads
6
2026 POST SHOW REPORT
Digital
INTRODUCTION
-4 .4 million impressions across nationwide digital ads. -N Z Herald Sport and Sitewide takeovers, TradeMe Boats, Stuff, display ads and more. -A total of 4,456,367 impressions.
Website 2026 KEY STATS
-T he Boat Show website complete with customisable exhibitor profiles attracted 96,000 users visit the site over 140,000 sessions.
Show Guide 2026 IN REVIEW
MARKETING
- 85% of visitors received a copy of the Show Guide -2 8% of visitors got a copy of it in advance of the show (either online or in the NZ Herald).
PR - A PR campaign ran alongside the marketing campaign with a PR value of $311,481 featuring highlights on Breakfast TV, NZ Herald Online, Canvas Magazine and more.
WHY EXHIBIT
Digital Ads
PR Campaign
Digital Ads
7
2026 POST SHOW REPORT
Social and Email Marketing INTRODUCTION
2026 KEY STATS
Our social media plan was executed to a high standard with clear calls to action, resulting in significant increases in impressions, reach, and, most importantly, clicks through to our website. Facebook & Instagram combined collective statistics Impressions 6,435,448 (total views Jan 1 - May 20)
2026 IN REVIEW
Page visits (74.5K) for the show window only Followers 24,633 (lifetime total) +1,521 net new during show window
MARKETING
Watch time 61 days 19 hours 3-second views 205,100
WHY EXHIBIT
Content interactions: 7,800 Unique viewers: 1,070,373
E-Newsletters A total 855,027 emails were sent via promotional email campaigns, resulting in an average of 16.3% open rate. (121,770 visitor views/opens)
Social
E-newsletter
8
2026 POST SHOW REPORT
2026 Exhibitor Results WHY DID EXHIBITORS ATTEND?*
INTRODUCTION
2026 KEY STATS
2026 IN REVIEW
Increase awareness of your brand(s) / products / services
87%
Meet / sell to new customers
74%
Networking
31%
Increase data for future marketing
21%
Launch a new brand / product / service
14%
Reach a new target market
11%
Find a distributor / partner
10%
Keep abreast of industry trends
7%
MARKETING
WHY EXHIBIT
$115,351 average reported exhibitor sales
78
exhibitors % of were satisfied
with the show this year*
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PRESENTED BY
Your Brand, Your Story Amplified. With a database of more than 400,000 businesses and visitors across 19 iconic B2B and B2C shows, XPO is uniquely placed to target marine and boat lovers from afar.
xpo.co.nz