Just three months after it was first incorporated, YPI Asia, the specialist Chinese division of YPI, is now in the process of opening a new office at the exciting new Nansha Marina development.
Located at the heart of the Pearl River Delta between Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Macao, the Marina covers 22 km2, is accessible by 5 major airports and sits at the heart of a new luxurious tourist destination.
“We are at the very beginning of a new industry and pastime in China,” explains YPI Group CEO Bertrand Vogèle. “There is an estimated 1,300 privately owned yachts in this country compared to 17 million in America but the interest is here and the industry is growing.”
According to the Hurun Report, China’s equivalent to the Forbes Rich List, of the 875,000 millionaires that live in China, nearly half intend to buy a yacht.
“That may be a little optimistic,” says YPI Asia MD, Olivier Besson, “but the Government with some private investment is fast developing the infrastructure needed to make superyachting not only a viable proposition here but an attractive one worldwide.”
The new Nansha Marina is just one of a series of ports under construction along China’s 9000 mile coastline with the city of Tianjin building what will be the country’s largest offering 750 berths up to 295 feet long at a cost of just under 9 billion Yuan ($1.4 billion).
“Positioning in China is everything,” explains Olivier. “Our offices in Hong Kong and Shenzhen are very strategic. The new location in Nansha puts us at the heart of one of the most exciting new developments today giving us the space to show and store the sort of superyachts we are most used to seeing outside of this region.”
To further ensure the consistent and successful growth of YPI Asia within China and Hong Kong, the company has recruited Estelle Zhang as Marketing & Communications Manager.
“We have so much interest from the Chinese press right now,” explains Olivier, “not only in YPI Asia but in our knowledge of luxury yachting. We realized how important a Chinese speaking communications person on site was going to be.”
A university graduate from Shanghai, fluent in Chinese, French & English, Estelle comes to YPI Asia with a strong background in luxury media and two years at the successful private jet & yacht show, the Hainan Rendez-Vous.