Over the next two months, yacht owners and industry professionals will have a possibility to decide who is the best in Asia’s yachting scene, as international media concentrate on the growing yacht market in Asia.

Asia Boating Awards

Nominations for the 2012 Asia Boating Awards are now open and online. Each year, readers of Asia-Pacific Boating and China Boating magazine, yacht owners, and yacht industry professionals, submit their nominations for the region’s best in yachts, builders and events. A shortlist of nominees is then created based on the number of votes received. The shortlist in each category is then sent to an independent panel of industry experts who select the final winners. A gala awards night this Spring will see these winners revealed to the yacht buying set of Asia.

This year’s list of award’s categories has seen some revisions, with a greater focus on larger yachts, as Asian builders have steadily moved up in size and ambition. Also being introduced is the first-ever award for Best Asian-Built Yacht.

In the past year, the world’s attention has focused on the luxury yacht scene in Asia, with reports by the Financial Times, Bloomberg, the Asia Wall Street Journal and the South China Morning Post all pointing to the growth of the market in Asia for luxury yachts, and the growing capabilities of Asia’s yacht builders. Which means that this year’s edition of the Asia Boating Awards will certainly be drawing a lot of attention.

The awards night, to be held in the Spring of 2012, will be a luxury event that will see yacht owners in Asia, brokers and builders in the region, and builders from around the world in attendance for a gala dinner, performances and the presentation. This will be a key night for the industry and for some of the wealthiest people in Asia.

The Asia Boating Awards, now in its eighth year, are organised by Asia-Pacific Boating and China Boating magazines, which are published by Blu Inc Media. Visitors may nominate in as many or as few categories as they wish.

The complete list of categories this year:

•    Best Asian Yacht Builder (30m and up)
•    Best Asian Yacht Builder (15m to 30m)
•    Best Asian Built Yacht
•    Best Custom Built Yacht
•    Best Semi Custom Built Yacht (30m and up)
•    Best Production Motor Yacht (24m to 40m)
•    Best Production Motor Yacht (15m to 24m)
•    Best Production Sailing Yacht (15m to 30m)
•    Best Production Sailing Yacht (up to 15m)
•    Asian Marina of the Year
•    Asian Yacht Club of the Year
•    Asian Regatta of the Year
•    Asia-based Charter Yacht of the Year
•    Personality of the Year
•    Print Ad of the Year
•    Best Yacht Design of the Year
•    Best Yacht Designer in Asia of the Year
•    Best Asia-based Charter Company
•    Best Brand Presence in Asia