Organisers of the 2012 Hainan Rendez-Vous luxury showcase, which took place on April 5-8, are hailing the success of this year’s expanded event, and are anticipating that the show will have generated “transactions of several billion RMB”, as well as at least 25 yacht sales.

The annual show attracts thousands of China’s financial elite to the resort of Sanya on Hainan island off the coast of Southern China. Exhibitors includes the cream of global superyacht yards, as well as the eight leading makers of business jets, and scores of luxury real-estate, supercar, jewellery and watch brands.

The fleet of 130 boats was 30% bigger than last year. Yachts over 30 metres included the 49-metre Lohengrin from Trinity, Feadship’s new 44-metre Helix, the 50-metre Narasaki explorer Northern Sun, which was berthed by the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, the 42-metre Kingship Star shown by YPI, the 33.5-metre Lady Gaga and the 36.5-metre Muses from Horizon Yachts, and the 38.5-metre Onyx from Sanlorenzo.

“We are enthusiastic about the results achieved during Hainan Rendez-Vous,” says Giuseppe Zecchin, Asia Pacific area manager for the Ferretti Group. “It has become the most important event in Asia and we are already planning our presence for next year.” Mike Simpson of Simpson Marine says that he sold two luxury yachts at the show, adding that the Hainan Rendez-Vous remains “the best boat show in Asia”.

The jet companies also reported brisk business. Dassault Falcon sold one 7x jet during the show and says it has scheduled post-event demo flights for other potential buyers. Gulfstream likewise reported communicating with several serious potential buyers at the show.

The Hainan Rendez-Vous is also a great networking opportunity, with three gala dinners hosted respectively by Pernod Ricard, Chopard and the show organiser. Each dinner treated hundreds of guests to an unforgettable evening of sumptuous dining and lively entertainment. Evenings saw the piers of the yacht show aglow with light from the boats and the warmth of laughter, conversation and music.

Among the celebrities attending this year’s Rendez-Vous were Miss Universe China Luo Zilin, cosmetics entrepreneur and media personality Yue-Sai Kan, four-time America’s Cup winning sailor Russell Coutts, and singer and actress Vivian Chow.

Check out our gallery of images from the Hainan Rendez-Vous 2012: