The 2023 Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show will officially begin with a launch party event to ring in this year’s show. A ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring key city and state elected officials and community leaders will be held at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 15 at the Miami Beach County Convention Center.

The list of scheduled speakers at the launch includes:

• Dan Gelber, City of Miami Beach Mayor
• Andrew Doole, president of U.S. Boat Shows, Informa Markets
• Nikisha Williams, Managing Director for Collective Impact, Miami Foundation
• Frank Hugelmeyer, president and CEO of the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA)
• David Whitaker, president and CEO of Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau
• Paul Flannery, COO of the International Yacht Brokers Association

For the 2023 show, organizers partnered with the Miami Foundation to raise awareness and support the preservation of Biscayne Bay. Ticket holders will be able to make donations to the organization’s Biscayne Bay Recovery Fund, which was created to protect the 35-mile-long marine ecosystem and economic engine for Greater Miami.

Historically, the annual show held over the five-day Presidents’ Day holiday weekend has attracted over 100,000 visitors from approximately 35 countries around the globe to South Florida while generating an estimated $1.34 billion for Florida. Together, under the Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show brand, this mega event brings a multimillion-dollar infusion to South Florida’s tourism and hospitality industry, welcoming the global community for an epic, five-day holiday weekend.

Photo credit: Informa Markets