18 - 27 Sep 2026
The 56th edition of the Southampton International Boat Show will be returning to Mayflower Park, Southampton, from 18–27 September 2026. Exhibitor bookings are already underway, and our Early Bird ticket campaign has now launched — it’s a great time to secure your place and start planning for an exciting show.
The 2025 show welcomed 91,300 visitors, and our post-show insights, from our visitor surveys, highlight a highly engaged audience: 77% are boat owners, 83% are returning visitors, 78% fall within the A/B demographic, and 83% intend to make a purchase at the show. This strong profile makes the Southampton International Boat Show an exceptional opportunity for exhibitors to meet motivated and knowledgeable customers.
We have explored, and will continue to explore, alternative locations for the Show. As organisers, our priority is to deliver the very best experience for our exhibitors, visitors, and stakeholders.
Following a detailed review, our Board determined that a relocation for SIBS 2026 was not practical. This was for a number of reasons; it did not provide meaningful cost savings for our exhibitors, , and there were unresolved financial, structural and operational risks that added uncertainty to build feasibility and event delivery.
Our Board therefore agreed that, while future relocation remains an option, it was too high-risk for 2026 and could jeopardise both the stability of the show and the progress already made on exhibitor cost reductions.
We are continuing active discussions with two permanent marina operators, one of which is the potential relocation of the show to MDL’s Ocean Village Marina for 2027. The MDL Board has expressed its support in working with us to explore how a move could achieve both greater exhibitor value and an enhanced visitor experience.
The decision to remain at Mayflower Park provides the best outcome for 2026 – ensuring that our exhibitors benefit immediately from reduced rates on Marina berthing while maintaining the show’s commercial strength and visitor experience.
For those rebooking from the 2025 Show, to secure your discount, please contact the SIBS Sales Team at [email protected] to discuss your requirements, confirm your booking and pay your deposit before the Early booking deadline of the 12 December
Our team is currently working on the first round of allocations based on the contracts already submitted. Once your booking is confirmed, and your deposit is paid, we will work closely with you to ensure that you are happy with your allocated stand/berth space, aiming to accommodate your preferred location wherever possible and discussing suitable alternatives if adjustments are needed.
Our team will work closely with you from the outset to ensure that you are happy with your exhibiting space. We will always aim to allocate your preferred location wherever possible. If you wish to explore a different position at a later date, we will do our best to accommodate this, subject to available space and any movements requested by other exhibitors. Once a contract to exhibit is signed, you will be subject to the show’s cancellation terms and conditions.
Unfortunately not. This would be unfair to all our exhibitors and especially those who have committed by the deadline. From an operational perspective, which has partly made the
discounted exhibiting rate possible, we need to book and allocate the majority of our space within set timeframes.
You’re welcome to bring fewer boats; however, to remain eligible for the discounted rate, marina exhibitors must commit to at least the same square meterage as in 2025.
We have only ever had to cancel one Show in recent years and this was because of the impact of Covid and was a decision forced upon us by the local council – despite us having put in place measures to comply with the relevant Covid regulations at the time.
As a membership organisation we run the Show to support the leisure marine sector and promote water-based leisure activities. In the unlikely event of a total Show cancellation, we would look closely at the circumstances in which the Show was cancelled and the point in time at which the decision to cancel it was made.
In the very unlikely event that the Show is cancelled at any point, we would anticipate rolling your booking over to the next edition of the Show.
Consistent with previous editions of Show, SIBS 2026 is progressing as planned, with preparations well underway for the event at Mayflower Park. We have formally communicated
the Show dates, commenced exhibitor stand and marina berth bookings, and launched our Early Bird ticketing campaign, which is achieving strong uptake.
Our teams are working hard with suppliers to keep any increases to a minimum and to ensure costs are as transparent and manageable as possible. As soon as these become available, we will share them with our exhibitors. Any increase in both electrics and lifting will be capped at a 5% increase; however, we are currently working hard to keep these costs to a minimum.
No. The reduction has been applied specifically to berth spaces, which is reflected in the Early. booking marina discount rate. Hospitality and Additional Decks pricing remain unchanged – these are not included within the marina space discount.
No. The team has worked closely with industry experts to ensure the highest standards of production are maintained. The revised layout is designed in line with the principles of everyday marinas, and our trusted suppliers will continue to install and deliver the marina to the same high-quality specification as in previous years.
The 2026 Show marina will be able to accommodate the same number of exhibiting boats as
in 2025.
The SIBS events team works closely with a range of specialists, including health and safety consultants, to ensure that the Show layout supports safe and efficient visitor movement. Careful consideration is given to crowd management and walkway design, and visitor flow is continuously monitored throughout the event by our expert teams. Your safety — and that of our visitors — remains and will always be our top priority.
We offer a range of ticket options, including General Admission, Group, and Premium tickets. Prices are released in waves throughout the year, increasing gradually until they reach the final gate price. This approach encourages visitors to secure their tickets early at the most favourable rate. We are currently promoting our Super Early Bird offer, which allows visitors to purchase a General Admission ticket for just £13 — up to 60% less than the 2025 gate price, representing excellent value for money.
Exhibitors will also receive discounted tickets to share with their own customers, creating real value and an opportunity to connect.
We are working closely with a specialist marketing agency experienced in promoting largescale public events, alongside dedicated marine-sector agencies, to ensure we reach the
audiences that matter most to our exhibitors. In 2025, 77% of our 91,300 visitors were boat owners, according to our post-show surveys. Our goal for 2026 is not only to increase overall footfall, and dwell time at the show, but to further strengthen the quality of our audience.
Our promotional activity will include leveraging our organic marketing channels, running targeted digital advertising campaigns across Google and social media, collaborating with the marine media, and working with strategic promotional partners, sponsors, stakeholders, and of course our exhibitors. The earlier you confirm your participation, the sooner we can begin promoting your presence to help drive engaged visitors to your stand.
Discounted exhibitor guest tickets, special guest tickets, and a comprehensive promotional marketing toolbox will also be made available to all 367+ exhibitors to support their own outreach efforts.
