Taken place at Marina Crescent from January 29 to 31, this year’s Kuwait Yacht Show has been a good demonstration of the growing Kuwaiti interest in leisure yachting. Kuwait’s boating market is increasingly showing request not only for features relating to performance, but also for those promoting luxury as well as comfort.
Kuwait Yacht Show 2013 Opening
Home to roughly one-fifth of the GCC’s boats – a significantly high share given the country’s size and coastline relative to its neighbours – Kuwait has historically possessed a seafaring culture with fishing, cruising and onboard socializing a common leisure pursuit among Kuwaiti nationals. In terms of market maturity, Kuwaiti ranks alongside the UAE in terms of client understanding of a boating lifestyle and demand continues to be strong for a broad range of craft.
“Kuwait is one of our biggest markets in the Gulf and we have always looked at it as a home market, given the fact that it geographically lies on our doorstep and we have had a very long presence here, starting off with the sale of our early fishing boat models like the Dolphin 33 Super Deluxe, the 24 Sea Breeze and 19 Fisherman,” said Erwin Bamps, Chief Operating Officer of Gulf Craft. Gulf Craft holds a dominant position in the Kuwaiti market with nearly 50% of all craft in Kuwaiti waters being produced out of its UAE-based manufacturing facilities.
Majesty Yachts line-up at Kuwait Yacht Show 2013
“With more investments in marina, berthing and quality support facilities in the Kuwaiti market, today there are even more individuals finding their way to the water. Kuwaiti interest in boating as a leisure activity has grown keener than ever,” added Bamps.
In addition to the demand for sport fishing and functional craft – Gulf Craft has noted a remarkable increase of interest in larger sized and more luxurious yachts in recent years. “Features such as speed and engine size continue to rate highly but we are definitely seeing demand not just for features relating to performance, but increasingly for features promoting comfort,” said Bamps.
Bamps continued: “There is a strong appreciation for our product and we have always had a very strong interest in answering that demand. We welcomed the Kuwait Yacht Show as an excellent initiative to further stimulate and consolidate interest in the Kuwaiti boating market. The Kuwait Show served as an excellent platform for us to meet our existing client base and promote the boating lifestyle to a broader section of the Kuwaiti population.”
Majesty Yachts line-up by night
Gulf Craft showcased a wide range of craft across its Silvercraft, Oryx and Majesty Yachts portfolio of family fishing boats, sport cruisers and luxury yachts at The Kuwait Yacht Show. “The Kuwait Yacht Show, held under the patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Salman Sabah Al Salem Al Homoud Al Sabah, Minister of Information and State Minister for Youth Affairs, heralded the start of the boat show season in the GCC, and we boasted a strong presence at this event in the run-up to the upcoming Dubai International Boat Show 2013, which will take place in Dubai on March 5th-9th,” Bamps concluded.
