The 5th Mediterranean Yacht Show took place from the 28th of April to the 1st of May at the port of Nauplion in Greece, showcasing 107 crewed yachts and drawing over 400 industry professionals from worldwide, including the MYBA and the Worldwide Yachting Association. The specialist brokers at CharterWorld have also attended the event and share their feedback on the charter yachts on display.
Over 100 charter yachts on display at the 5th Mediterranean Yacht Show in Nafplion
Organised by the Greek Yachting Association and conducted by its president, Mr Michael Skoulikidis, the opening ceremony was also attended by the Mayor of Nafplion Mr Dimitris Kostouros, the Minister for Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy and Mr Panagiotis Kouroumplis, Regional Governor of the Peloponnese.
Palamidi Fortress played host once more for the welcoming reception, where Mr Michael Skoulikidis emphasised the importance of Greece’s position as a yachting destination in the Mediterranean, particularly with the luxury yacht charter sector.
5th Mediterranean Yacht Show. Photo credit Martha Lukasik
The Chefs’ Competition included two chefs each with two Michelin stars: Georgianna Hiliadaki, co-owner of the Funky Gourmet restaurant in Athens, and Antonio Mellino, owner of Quattro Passi in Nerano.
Live music from the group Passepartout brought the event to a close at the Fougaro Cultural Centre, and in the evening parties were organised by HYCA for the crews of the various yachts, with support from the Greek Yachting Association.
Ouranos on dusplay at the 5th Mediterranean Yacht Show. Photo credit Martha Lukasik
Nicolas Benazeth, the Charter Director at CharterWorld, commented:
“Once again the Mediterranean yacht show proved to be a great success for its 5th year in the beautiful city of Nafplio, Greece. With over 100 yachts on display, it is rapidly becoming the premier charter show in the Mediterranean, and the quality of both the yachts and their professional crews has reached an impressive level over recent years, easily rivalling any other charter fleet worldwide. CharterWorld had one of the largest contingents of brokers present, ensuring that we inspected all the yachts and further reinforced our already strong ties with yacht operators, crew and agents in the East Mediterranean. Greece continues to be one of the most popular charter destinations worldwide, and we have always believed in supporting this in every way we can, to make sure our clients get the best yachts and crews, but also enjoy the diversity of the area which offers so much to charterers. It is no exaggeration to say that you can charter every year in Greece and experience something different each time, the possibilities are pretty much endless.
The 5th Mediterranean Yacht Show in Nafplion
A great example of this, as well as testimony to the quality of the yachts on offer, is one family having now enjoyed a charter with CharterWorld on DRAGON for 7 years in a row with a new and exciting experience each time. DRAGON was again one of the stand-out yachts in this year’s show, looking even better now than when it was first launched, and with one of the best crews in the industry.
Other favourites included PEGASUS, a beautifully refitted Feadship with a unique style and charm and one of the largest superyachts based in Greece. For those looking for more speed, ideal for island hopping in the Cyclades, both DUKE and KINTARO offer that great combination of modern style and performance, as well as crews with excellent local knowledge. The show was also an opportunity to rediscover a number of great packages such as the very well equipped SEA DOG, ideal for active and family charters, and the beautifully refitted classic HAPPY DAY.
5th Mediterranean Yacht Show. Photo credit Martha Lukasik
A visit to Greece is also a chance to continue perfecting our knowledge of this vast cruising area, and every year new destinations are highlighted. Beyond the hotspots of the Cyclades such as Mykonos and Santorini, less well-known islands such as Kithnos, Patmos, Folegandros and Milos never cease to impress charter guests. A number of yachts cruised through some of the islands after the show, allowing brokers to further their local first-hand knowledge. A few examples include L’EQUINOX, which cruised to Kithnos and Mykonos, ITHAKI which explored off the beaten track areas of the Peloponnese including Monemvasia, Elaphonisos and the Mani areas, and the great tandem charter option of ALBATOR and ALBATOR 2 cruising through the Saronic islands of Hydra, Spetses and Poros amongst others.
Aboard Capri. Photo credit Martha Lukasik
Aboard Capri. Photo credit Martha Lukasik
With a good number of bookings already secured, we now look forward to filling up the remaining gaps in the yachts’ calendars and once again making sure CharterWorld clients get the very best out of charter in Greece and the East Mediterranean.”
Josh Burdett, the Luxury Yacht Charter Broker in Europe added:
“I fully reiterate that Greece should be right at the top of the list for clients who want a combination of clear waters, beautiful islands, a genuinely warm welcome and a growing number of really top quality yachts and crews. Greece offers it all from amazing beach clubs, clubbing and shopping to quieter bays where you will be the only yacht, to fascinating historical sites. Nick Benazeth recommends L’Equinox too, and I was lucky enough to have a fam trip onboard – a genuinely superb choice for quality and speed, and one of the best crews I have experienced. The chef is right up there with the best. All this to say that gone are the days when one might have considered Greek yachts/crew to be less reliable; the Nafplion show and our experiences prove that the yachts and crew are up there with the best, and the region, in general, is the ideal place to charter.”
Sailing yacht Allure A. Photo credit Martha Lukasik
Martha Lukasik, the Luxury Broker in America, noted that 99% of the yachts were in very good conditions with some that would stand out. She highly recommends charter yachts HAPPY DAY, SEA DOG, MARLA and LADY ELLEN (ex Kanaloa).
Statistics from the event:
Registered Number of Yachts: 107
Number of Trade Attendees: Over 400 visitors
Countries Represented: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Austria, Argentina, British Virgin Islands, France, Italy, Germany, Greece, Unites States of America, United Kingdom, Spain, Israel, Canada, Cyprus, Montenegro, Monaco, New Zealand, Anguilla, Poland, Russia, Croatia and Turkey.
Number of Exhibitors: 24 stands offering services and products related to the show’s theme.
