The European superyacht season started with the Antibes Yacht Show in April and the MYBA Charter Show in Genoa in May – and with impressive results.
This sixth Antibes Yacht Show was certainly very successful, with serious buyers placing offers on more than ten yachts up to 40 metres. Over 13,380 people had an opportunity to talk to more than 190 exhibitors and to walk around 130 yachts. At this year’s show, Kevin Bonnie from International Yacht Collection said: “As the only Mediterranean spring show, Antibes is an obvious choice for serious boat buyers.” Adrian Mc Court at Watkins Superyachts confirms the keen interest from buyers: “We were delighted with the response, having received some serious interest, including a bid within the first three hours of opening.”
Next year’s event will be known as the Antibes Superyacht Show and will take place on April 18-21, occupying a larger area. The organisers intend to improve the dedicated areas for refit and services, and will unveil plans for 2013 during the next few weeks
The MYBA Charter Show in Genoa, with 80 yachts on show, had to battle with the weather gods but attendees once again enjoyed viewing an excellent selection of charter yachts. Some 420 yacht brokers attended, along with 69 exhibiting companies. “The number and diversity of new, and ever-larger, excellent quality yachts kept everyone on their toes for this exclusive trade show,” reports Jacqui Lockhart, chairwoman of the MYBA Charter Show Panel.
The MYBA responded to increasing demand from owners to have their yachts in the show and booked the Marina Fiera quay on the other side of the harbour. There were 15 yachts on the Fiera and demand looks set to stay, leading MYBA to consider examining the logistics of setting up this quay in a similar manner to the Marina Molo Vecchio, integrating it entirely into the Show for 2013.
Next year will mark the 25th anniversary of the show, which has its origins in the IYCM event, inaugurated in 1988 in San Remo, then taken over in 2001 by MYBA for a first ever ‘MYBA Genoa Show’ – or ‘Il MYBA’ as it is known in Genoa. Jacqui Lockhart adds that all concerned would be striving to make the 2013 show a memorable one.
For more images, click here