The objective was to help to promote Hong Kong as a tourist destination during the summer low season.

The event was a success and more and more international crews started to participate in the racing now held at East Tsim Sha Tsui.

The local Hong Kong Amateur Rowing Association became involved and helped draft the first ever set of international race rules for dragon boats.

By 1991, several national dragon boat federations had been formed and it became clear that an international governing body ought to be established.

The founding national federations were: Australia, China, Chinese Taipei (Taiwan), Great Britain, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Norway, the Philippines, Singapore, and the United States.

[4] The 49 Full Members of the IDBF are: Australia, Austria, Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Ghana, Great Britain, Guam, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Macau, Malaysia, Moldova, Myanmar, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Reunion Island, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Vietnam .

The 33 Ordinary and Associate Members of the IDBF are: Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Cameroon, Chile, Egypt, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Guadeloupe, Iran, Israel, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Kenya, Lithuania, Mauritius, Monaco, Mongolia, Nepal, Nigeria, Oman, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Somalia, Switzerland, Venezuela.

A list of WDBRCs is below:[7] The IDBF hosts the Club Crew World Championships (CCWC) every even-numbered year.