Fresh from her pilgrimage to the recent Monaco Yacht Show, DSNM’s Executive Director Alicia Store recounts how what is often described as the king of all yacht shows continues to grow beyond being just a showcase for sensational Superyachts.
“Working in the world of Superyachts for over 10 years it’s fair to say I often come face to face with elegantly engineered luxury – bespoke beauty designed to transport the Superyachting elite not just from one exotic coordinate to another but from the experiences of the everyday to the extraordinary. Yet even I was staggered by the truly noticeable increase in luxury and wealth on display at September’s Monaco Yacht Show, both in quality and quantity!
Superyachts were the stars of the show, the largest of which was the stunning 110m, six-deck ‘Jubilee’ from Dutch builder Oceanco. As a jewel in the show’s crown she certainly turned heads alongside more than 120 other Superyachts and the many smaller vessels for sale and charter. For watersports enthusiasts the new ‘Tenders & Toys’ zone proved a huge hit together with an array of luxury brands and experiences. So, whether you’re looking for a helicopter to lift you from your floating oasis to shore; a limousine or something racier to speed you from the harbour to your dinner date; or even a glamorous timepiece, you can now find it all at the show.
Of course, this glitzy view focuses on the stylish show stands and sophisticated parties that introduce visitors to the numerous yachts, toys and accessories available. In tandem, the Monaco Yacht Show is also an important meeting place for businesses serving the industry and, as one of those, it was great to see it was bigger and busier than ever. Soaking up the atmosphere and networking with others, there is a clear consensus that the industry is not just healthy, it’s thriving and set to grow further.
Another joy of the four-day event is the chance it gives us to catch up with many of the crew, management companies and owner reps that use our specialist navigation products and services. Numerous clients attended the show itself and even more were at anchor nearby so it was a great opportunity to meet with them again.
Organisationally, the show never fails to impress with so much planning and operational effort. In just one week, the waterfront is transformed with resident yachts casting off to make way for the event. Then, in almost no time afterwards, they return to take up their rightful berths and life for the residents of Monaco returns to normal.
So, what can we expect of the 2018 Monaco Yacht Show? There are always surprises so it’s hard to predict but one thing is for sure – if it’s any bigger than this year’s event we might need to think about creating a special DSNM navigational product to help people get around!”
