Monaco Yacht Show organisers discuss ongoing revamp

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What was the feedback from visitors and exhibitors about the changes at last year’s Monaco Yacht Show?

We received very positive feedback from the attendees. First, because last year’s edition was the first major physical yachting event after the pandemic, there was a real thirst for going back to real socialisation and “sailing out of the Covid doldrums”.

More importantly, the revamped format was more tailored to the different profiles of attendees. Whether you wanted to charter or purchase a yacht, meet your business peers or discover the latest trends and technologies in the industry, the right visitor could easily meet the right exhibitor.

It was still difficult to travel from Asia last September, so for many visitors from the region attending this time, it will be their first Monaco Yacht Show for at least three years. What changes should visitors be aware of?

The new format of the show focuses on the visit experience for superyacht customers. If you intend to charter, purchase or build a yacht, you can easily discuss with experts on the Dockside area, where there’s an exhibition of superyachts, tenders, designers and services directly linked to a yacht project.

Then, you can meet up with the leading yacht designers at the Yacht Design & Innovation Hub and be informed of the current and forthcoming sustainable solutions in yachting at the brand-new Sustainability Hub. Visitors will also discover a whole area dedicated to superyacht lifestyle and fun with fancy water toys, luxury cars, helicopters or tenders.

It’s worth noting that day one is only accessible on invitation. If you intend to visit the show and buy a yacht, you can contact us to receive a Sapphire Experience, the show’s official VIP visit programme.

Can you explain the Sapphire Experience and who’s eligible for it?

The Sapphire Experience is the show’s official VIP visit programme. We launched it six years ago to offer new clients a bespoke visit experience into the yachting world. We’ve developed a dedicated concierge service to directly organise yacht visits together with the exhibitors, along with a range of other VIP activities and services throughout the show.

The Sapphire Experience is reserved for current and future charter clients or owners. Our services check the eligibility of the client beforehand, so we guarantee only serious VIP visitors meet the yacht exhibitors. We must admit, we refuse lots of requests!

What are the new themed exhibition areas and where are they located?

Still with the perspective of enhancing the visit experience of the attendees, the exhibition areas are categorised according to the interests of the visitor profiles. Superyacht end-user clients mainly interested in a yacht project will find all activities directly linked to their next charter or purchase in the Dockside area. This area showcases superyachts and tenders, and all services directly related to the world of yachting.

This year, the Sailing Yacht Area is still on Quai l’Hirondelle in front of Yacht Club de Monaco, but on the protected ‘inner’ side of the dock, so the port structure will help protect the yachts from windy conditions.

The tents on the other docks are mainly focused on activities that interest the representatives of clients or professional visitors. On the west side of Port Hercule, the Parvis Piscine tent is dedicated to yacht interior design and decoration companies, the Upper Deck Lounge within Parvis Piscine displays luxury products and services.

On the south side, Quai Antoine 1er features tenders, water toys, luxury cars and motorbikes, the Darse Sud tent contains equipment manufacturers and yachting services, while the Quai Albert 1er tent contains yacht-related equipment, maintenance and service companies.

Why has the Yacht Design & Innovation Hub doubled in size for 2022 and what can visitors expect this year?

Designers are the rock stars of yachting! Their creative mindset, combined with owners’ ideas, defines the future of yachting. When we launched the Yacht Design & Innovation Hub last year, we wanted to offer a playground for yacht designers and yachtsmen.

The area has doubled in size for 2022 because we relocated the designers of the Designer Gallery and created a bigger conference room upstairs. Visitors can meet directly with the designers on their stands and attend about 20 live presentations by designers over the show’s four days.

What led to the addition of a Sustainability Hub for this year’s show?

The Monaco Yacht Show started raising awareness among the yachting community about marine issues when we joined the Carbon Neutral programme in 2005. In 2010, the show joined the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation to support eco-friendly projects. Newcomers to yachting may not know that the industry has been researching and developing eco-friendly solutions for over a decade.

Our role, as one of the industry’s major voices with a share of social responsibility, is to promote the eco-responsible aspect of yachting to the new generation of yacht customers, so the Sustainability Hub was a logical next step for the Monaco Yacht Show.

Visitors will have the chance to talk to representatives of reputable or new start-up companies that specialise in technological solutions and eco-friendly concepts aiming to reduce the environmental footprint of superyachts.