The Singapore Yacht Show will kick off one day earlier in 2013, permitting exhibitors to make the most of the mounting momentum of luxury yachting in Asia. Following initial requests from several important local exhibitors, it was unanimously agreed by participants as well as stakeholders that the event should now be allowed to start on Thursday, April 18 and should last until Sunday, April 21, 2013, at ONE°15 Marina Club, Sentosa Cove.

Singapore Yacht Show 2012

Andy Treadwell, managing director of the Singapore Yacht Show, says his team acknowledges the high cost and logistical effort of bringing a vessel and an exhibition team to a Yacht Show, and the date extension will allow both exhibitors and visitors to maximise the unique networking opportunity the show presents. “Extending by a day to the more normal four days allows the exhibitors to enjoy maximum exposure to this very important emerging yachting and boating market, and for new buyers to gain full insight into the luxury marine leisure lifestyle,” he says.

Russell Morris, managing director of American super-builder Palmer Johnson echoes this enthusiasm, explaining that the company sees Asia as an important, long-term market: “The Singapore Yacht Show is an ideal platform for us to interact with Asia’s new wealth. We are looking forward to seeing the event continue to grow and prosper.”

Now heading into its third year, the Show is already attracting more superyacht, luxury boat and car brands than ever before.

Tailored to Asia’s rapidly-increasing community of ultra-high net worth individuals, the elite event will also next year incorporate a fine art exhibition, a supercar show, and a VIP gala evening at the fabulous new W Singapore – Sentosa Cove. There will also be a whole host of evening parties and social events both on board the participating yachts and in the newly-opened, ultra-chic bars and restaurants that now line the palm tree-dotted boardwalks surrounding the show.

Some 250 key industry players will attend the 5th Asia Pacific Superyacht Conference on the two days preceding the show, Tuesday April 16 and Wednesday 17. The event’s organisers have also just announced the inaugural Singapore Private Jet Forum which will run alongside the superyacht industry conference. These two Business-to-Business events will be followed by a one-day Luxury Summit, held in conjunction with show partners Robb Report, on Friday April 19 at the W Singapore-Sentosa Cove.

“For six days, there will be a concentration of key people meeting and discussing the luxury leisure lifestyle industries emerging in Asia.  As far as we know this will be the first time such a series of complementary events will be held in South East Asia. There is no doubt in our minds, as organisers, that such a synergetic gathering will have a tremendous impact, and help drive business to the show,” continues Mr Treadwell.

Major international shipyards are unanimous in touting the significance of the Singapore Yacht Show to the global luxury yachting industry. Jan-Bart Verkuyl, sales director of Feadship, which exhibited the magnificent motoryacht Helix last year, says Asia has been a focus for the company for many years. “This year we made a bigger commitment to the market by completing an Asian “roadshow” with M/Y Helix – including attending the Singapore Yacht Show. The strategy worked very well for us, with the sale of two 45-meter Feadships to Asian clients as a result.”