The Antibes Yacht Show strengthens its position as Europe’s top Brokerage and Charter Show with superyachts obtaining more serious buyer offers than ever before. In addition a lucky Captain was awarded an iPad by Yachting Pages, also present at the show.
Yachting Pages at The Antibes Boat Show
Last weekend’s Antibes Yacht Show 2012 (April 12-15) was the most successful yet, achieving an “absolute record” in serious offers put forward for its brokerage superyachts. This year’s show, held at the International Yacht Club d’Antibes (IYCA) in Port Vauban located on the French Riviera, also attracted its highest-ever visitor turnout.
“Antibes Yacht Show is now on its way to becoming Europe’s ‘#1’ Brokerage and Charter Show,” Stéphane Trabet, the show’s Commissaire Général, told Yachting Pages after the event.
“With an increasing number of qualified international visitors from around the world, the show performed well this year with a significant number of professional contacts established as well as direct consumer offers.
“No less than 12 yachts (sized between 12 to 40m) received serious offers which is an absolute record for the show, [as was] the number of charter weeks that were booked during the four days,” said Stéphane.
According to the show’s organisers, 13,380 visitors attended this year’s event, more than last year. These included professionals and the public alongside 190 exhibitors and 130 yachts. Attendees travelled from “more than a dozen” countries worldwide.
Highlights at the Antibes Yacht Show 2012 included exhibited superyachts, ‘privilege’ areas, an exclusive Captain’s lounge, parties and music from live bands. Due to the strong demand which greeted the show, this year’s event had to open its doors later until 9pm on Friday.
Yachting Pages, the leading directory for the superyacht industry, was among the show’s large exhibiting brands. Its stand drew much attention from Superyacht Captains and crew, partly due to Yachting Pages’ competition to win an iPad 3 donated by Advanced New Technologies (ANT).
Entrants were asked to submit a review of a company to Yachting Pages’ new website, yachtingpages.com, for a chance to win the iPad. Reviews flooded in from hopeful contestants. In the end, Captain Phil Gowing of Shandor, the prestigious 50m expedition motor yacht built by Schweers, emerged as the competition’s randomly-selected winner.
“Wow, that’s a bolt out of the blue!” said Gowing. “Thanks to Yachting Pages for the prize, I’ve always found their publications invaluable. It’s pleasing to see they still make the effort to get out and speak directly to the people who use their products, in an effort to find out how to make it even more indispensable.”
Yachting Pages took the opportunity to speak to various Captains, crew and industry friends at the show. Helen Forsyth, Sales Manager at Yachting Pages, thinks that the Antibes Yacht Show has become an unmissable annual networking event in the superyacht calendar.
“Despite the weather, the Antibes Yacht Show was an invaluable opportunity to meet our clients and other superyacht businesses – and to put faces to the phone voices! – for myself and my team. We had a really pleasant time and thoroughly enjoyed the show,” said Helen.
Steve Crowe, Yachting Pages’ Managing Director, agrees that the event is getting better each year: “We had a great time at this year’s event, meeting Captains and crew and awarding an iPad to Captain Gowing.
“We thought an iPad was a good prize as Captains we spoke to are hopeful that internet access is improving aboard superyachts – not least with news of China’s new $15 million 140-foot Adastra superyacht which can be steered and controlled with an iPad. The new yachtingpages.com website also works well on the iPad, I might add!”
“Apparently over 80% of the exhibitors have already expressed their desire to come back to the Antibes Yacht Show next year. Yachting Pages will certainly be among them – and next year we will hold an all-new and revamped successor to our popular Black & White Party,” added Steve.
