Last weekend’s 2nd Abu Dhabi Yacht Show saw a turnout of over 6,000 visitors over the three-day event which featured more than 140 exhibitors. The turnout, says organisers the Informa Yacht Group (IYG), underlined the tremendous potential of the yachting business in the Middle East and Abu Dhabi’s ambitions to become the leading global marine leisure and yachting destination. By the end of the show, at Abu Dhabi’s stunning Yas Marina, exhibitors reported a number of multi-million dollar deals were under negotiation.
Franck Dailles, IYG’s Group Director said, “The feedback we have received from the exhibitors, the positive interest shown by various clients and the number of serious buyers that attended, has been extremely encouraging. The yachting industry, and the number of yachting and marine related businesses in Abu Dhabi has been growing, and we the show is playing a significant role in further strengthening its claim to be a global superyacht destination for this region.
“The results of negotiations initiated and deals closed at the event will emerge soon.”
Several exhibitors viewed the show not just as an entry point into the lucrative UAE market, but as a platform to attract serious buyers from the broader GCC and nearby Eastern European region. Visitor traffic from Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Russia boosted local client numbers, and international shipyards at the show revealed interest from brokers and buyers looking for yachts not necessarily destined to be berthed in the region, but elsewhere − including North and South America and Eastern Europe, explained Dailles.
Ron Cleveringa, Vice-President – Sales & Marketing, Burger Boat Company said the show’s B2B advantage and as a platform to build brand recognition cannot be underestimated. “This event is primarily a relationship-building and brand-recognition exercise in this region and it helps us understand the business culture. The region is all about relationships and this show gives you access to the right people and the right contacts,” added Cleveringa. “For example, we had a designer come to us with a design on behalf of a client from the region. We had a broker come in looking on behalf of a private client – it’s all about building relationships.”
The immense investment being ploughed into Abu Dhabi as a full-fledged yachting hub , such as berthing and after-sales service infrastructure, and vigorous marina development is prompting several companies to grow their name within the region to enjoy what many hope will be a fairly lucrative first-mover advantage, according to IYG.
The 2nd ADYS also saw several key deals and joint ventures announced over the course of the event. Emocean Marine signed an exclusive distribution agreement with Prestige Marine Yachts to represent the Emocean range of vessels and promote the brand in the UAE.
The Abu Dhabi-based luxury yacht manufacturer Gulf Craft and Holland’s Icon Yachts BV will collaborate to build a 52-metre superyacht that would be priced at about €30 million. A joint venture announced between Heesen Yachts, a manufacturer of high performance motor yachts and VistaJet, the world's premier luxury private aviation provider will enable the two to capitalize on synergies that exist between their target customers, who include yacht owners and leasers, and users of business aviation services.
