Monaco Yacht Show 2015: Winds of Change

At 18.30 on Saturday 26th September 2015 the horns from 121 Superyachts, that had sat sedately in Port Hercules for four days, voiced their appreciation, marking the end of another triumphant and undoubtedly successful Monaco Yacht Show.

With visitor numbers up yet again, this year by 1400 to 34,500, could it be a sign that in today's turbulent markets and intercontinental strife the demand for Superyachts, new and second hand, remains strong. Many factors have affected this year's summer cruising season and the demand for used vessels. Sales appear good, chartering is off the chart, possibly signified by the fleet – less numerous than in recent years - anchored off the port. The result of a lower Euro, Russian sanctions, cheaper fuel, a longer charter season, or possibly Owners realising the investment potential of their vessels to the charter market and not selling. Of course we are all aware of the disappearance of several significant builders during the past year, an indication of a tough new-build market, even though major Northern European yards are still nursing good order books. 

What is also interesting is the surge in yachts booking refit and refinishing projects, not just in Europe but also in the USA, for this winter. No doubt triggered in part, certainly within Europe, by the rebased Euro and Turkish Lira but also a result of significant charter returns for most Owners now willing to improve their offering for next year.

Whatever the reasons yacht Owners were walking the docks alongside many high profile businessmen from the industry itself. The show, which held a record 582 exhibitors and partners, was kept busy, with differing feed-back on the activity within the tents of the new Show location at the Quai Antoine 1er. Many of these stands were relocated from other areas of the show where construction work is, and will be, taking place for several more years. With the difficulties created by the building of the new underground car-park and the unavoidable segregation of the show all efforts were made by the organisers to enhance the number of visitors to this new area (a new Monte Carlo Tender Show, a Water toys show, a pop-up bar and a coffee-terrace, golf carts, extra ferries, berths for four large yachts were introduced this year at Quai Rainier III which in future years could host three 120 m Superyachts, thus facilitating anticipated future demand). Reports of good business being done were received. 

700 people attended the Show's Inaugural party on the Tuesday evening at the Salle des Etoiles - Sporting Monte Carlo, where the 2nd MYS Awards were presented.

The Awards distinguished five superyachts displayed at the MYS:

- The Monaco Award: winner - Taransay by Rossinavi.

- The MYS/RINA Award: winner - Madame Kate by Amels

- The MYS Exterior Design Award: winner - Ester III by Lürssen

- The MYS Interior Design Award: winner - Madame Kate by Amels.

- The Finest new yacht of the 2015 MYS Award: winner - Silverfast by Silver Yachts. 

The buzz around the show this year was exceptional, restaurants were stretched to keep up their service levels and the hotels were sold out for weeks in advance. An interesting fact was that over 400 journalists attended the MYS, these included prominent journalists from outside of the yachting industry than ever before. The likes of CNN, Bloomberg, CNBC and the BBC were to be seen, a significant sign that the high end yachting market is no longer the reserve of insiders but is now becoming a mainstream news offering to the world's wealthy individuals. It is a fact that if we as an industry can portray ourselves publicly as being responsible and caring to the world at large it can only help to market our unique product to new potential clients.

The second year of the MYS Captain & Crew lounge, with all its offerings, was a great success and along with our sponsors and the visiting Captains and Crew, that are beginning to discover that our new lounge is the place to visit when at the show, we can see no reason why next year, if not this, our offering is the TOP Crew lounge at the MYS.

The early feedback is positive and that many of the Show’s clients on stands have had a good stream of enquiries. Of course the networking that took place at stands, restaurants, parties and other gatherings is not quantifiable but being able to bring so many professional people into one incredible space at the same time has in itself to be worth the effort to all of those that attended. The MYS is without doubt one of the major cogs that helps weld our industry together with B2C and B2B being possible, as nowhere else in the world, and being a part of the experience allows participants to be a part of an industry that has no equal.