As yacht horns sounded in Monaco’s Port Hercules at 6pm on Saturday 30th September, the international yachting community and the people of Monaco celebrated the end of another successful Monaco Yacht Show. A staple of the Principality’s social calendar, the Monaco Yacht Show is integral to the character of the region and represents the inextricable ties that Monaco shares with the yachting industry. This year’s edition of the illustrious event was one of the most successful to date, with a spectacular fleet of luxury superyachts on display, a selection of glamorous social events, and a great number of seafaring enthusiasts flocking to the region.
As many yacht owners own Monaco properties, the local community has a vested interest in the event. The Principality came to life as 125 superyachts and 36,400 visitors – an increase of 8% – filled Port Hercules for four days, representing signs that the buoyancy of the yachting industry is improving – particularly among Americans and Russians, who visited the show in increased numbers. With an average length of 49m and with half of the exhibited yachts being less than two years in age, the vessels on display were bigger and newer than ever before.
Gaëlle Tallarida, Managing Director of the Show, commented on the benefit of the MYS to the entire yachting community: “The Monaco Yacht Show has become a brand with a strong identity, clearly defined since the first edition in 1991. The MYS is unique in being the only “hybrid” show in the world exclusively dedicated to the universe of superyachting. We are proud to host both the B2B community and today’s and tomorrow’s superyacht purchasers. They make a perfect fit. A new yacht order generates important business activity for all sectors in the yachting industry. Owners are more and more involved in the building of their yachts. At the MYS, future buyers also meet the nautical suppliers to discover the latest interior designs, cutting-edge equipment or brand-new gadgets. And they love it!”
For the second time, the Monaco Yacht Summit welcomed prospective superyacht owners, or their representatives, to an event that shared key information for new buyers or charterers. The discussion introduced first-time buyers and charterers to the yachting industry in an accessible way, underpinning the importance of the Monaco Yacht Show as a platform for both experienced and inexperienced seafarers.
The illustrious event offered companies the opportunity to reflect on the yachting market. Representatives from Fraser, the world’s leading superyacht brokerage, shared new industry information at the company’s annual press breakfast, which was attended by journalists from international publications. The brokerage announced that there are currently 189 superyachts in construction across the world.
Another highlight of this year’s show was the Car Deck, which presented a range of new and classic supercars to prospective buyers. From classic Mercedes to new Lamborghinis, the range of supercars on offer was diverse and appealing to those with an interest in luxury, style, and comfort on the roads. The display of supercars looks perfectly at place next to the fleet of yachts in the port; Monaco was transformed into a paradise for those with a penchant for the high life.
Also on display were a selection of the latest yachting accessories and water toys, interior design exhibitions, art galleries, and other displays of the luxury lifestyle. Once all was said and done for the day, the Monaco Yacht Club and other eminent institutions around the Principality sprung to life with the clink of champagne glasses, sophisticated melodies, and excitable chatter, as companies and individuals hosted exclusive after-parties for friends, clients, and colleagues.
It seems that the Principality of Monaco was designed for such elegant occasions: an air of celebration was tangible around Port Hercules, as the international yachting community gathered in one of the largest yachting hubs in the world.
