It will come as little surprise to most of the savvy ones within the superyacht industry that, Informa Markets, the company behind the Monaco Yacht Show have finally succumbed to industry pressure and cancelled this year’s edition of the Monaco Yacht Show.
Informa Markets has put a more positive spin on the situation declaring that the dates for the 30th Anniversary of Monaco Yacht Show have now confirmed for September 2021.
They have at the same time announced that the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show remains on track for late October 2020.
Informa Markets has, over recent weeks, been in discussions with stakeholders and partners within the international Super Yacht Industry to better understand the challenges facing yacht owners, shipyards, brokers and other key participants in the face of the disruption due to COVID-19.
Withdrawn support
In recent months both the Superyacht Builders Association (SYBAss) and the Large Yacht Brokers Association (LYBRA) have withdrawn their support for this year’s show having reached a joint and clearly defined decision that not to participate in MYS 2020.
SYBAss represents 21 of the world’s largest and most productive superyacht building brands and collectively accounts for 60% of all yachts over 40 metres constructed in countries from Australia to the United States. LYBRA, is an association of the 8 largest international yacht brokerage houses.
The show organisers have also been working with others involved with the Show, and particularly the Principality of Monaco, to determine if a low-density, not-for-profit, support event in Monaco this year would have been both practical and beneficial to the market.
With much of the Super Yacht fleet currently located in the US and Caribbean and the normal calendar of activity severely disrupted, all parties have agreed to focus their efforts and energy on supporting the International Yachting Community through Informa Markets’ US brands, including the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, one of the largest international yachting events in the world. This is scheduled to take place in late October, with more than 900 boats anticipated to be on show, including 100 Super Yachts.
Significant disruption
Charlie McCurdy, Chief Executive, Informa Markets, said: “Like many other industries, the international super yachting community has experienced significant disruption in 2020. As we move to the other side of COVID-19, we are remaining agile in how we are supporting our partners and customers, flexing our events calendar, adapting products and providing digital alternatives where beneficial to best meet the needs of international communities through this difficult period.”
He added: “To this end, we are focusing our efforts in the latter part of the year on delivering a strong platform to showcase the industry at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show in late October, with the Monaco Yacht Show now set to return in style in September 2021, when it will celebrate its 30th Anniversary.”