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After three days of strolling the aisles of the worldâ??s largest equipment show, this phrase has become a mantra for many of the French professionals who attend the Paris Nautic Show âeuros without exhibiting. Whether by personal choice, budgetary constraints or simply weariness, some of them have drawn a temporary line under the stand, but not under the event. Because despite the criticism, the invitations and the (often flattering) comparisons with other events, the Paris show remains an appointment you don't want to miss completely. It's a must-see. Out of habit. Out of curiosity. Out of caution.
"I'm going there to see" means everything and nothing. It can mask a sincere desire to take the pulse of the market, like an ingrained professional reflex. It can also reflect a need to remain visible without committing oneself â?" you come to meet a few contacts, to make sure that no one has taken your place, that your competitors aren't shining too brightly, and that in the end, you're not missing out on anything.
This hesitancy reveals a palpable tension in the French boating industry: between attachment to tradition and the need to adapt. Paris is no longer the show it once was, but it remains a marker. A compass. And as long as there are professionals who go "just to see", it's a good thing there's still something to see at the show that's about to celebrate its 100th anniversary.
