December

4th Gulf Superyacht Summit

Over 120 delegates attended the Gulf Superyacht Summit 2022 held in Dubai in early November. Previously known as The International Superyacht Summit the event was acquired by Superyacht Times in May 2022. The fourth edition of the Gulf Superyacht Summit in Dubai highlighted the interest in the growing GCC Superyacht market. Mike Derrett who is an advisor to the Sri Lanka based Sea Leisure Yachting Group (APSA member), attended and reported on the event.

Held under the patronage of P&O Marinas on the iconic QE2 liner which is permanently berthed in Dubai’s Mina Rashid Marina, the two-day annual event on 9 and 10 November 2022 was to inform, assist and advise yachting clients and related interested parties, with the goal of  developing the Gulf as a superyacht winter destination.

The Gulf region is of growing importance to the superyacht industry. Dubai has some of the biggest marina developments in the world and the annual Formula 1 event in Abu Dhabi attracts a large crowd of superyachts. A growing number of yachts are using the UAE as a hub from where they travel further east to places like the Seychelles, Singapore. Maldives, Indonesia and Thailand.

The region is establishing itself as a superyacht hub with a lot of new wealth being created in the region, with countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the UAE leveraging on the high price of oil.

The region is also of growing importance to yacht builders and brokers looking to engage with new clients. The two-day event revealed a packed program headed by Merijn de Waard the founder of Superyacht Times, new owners of the summit, who revealed the results of an analysis of the Gulf Superyacht Market and Superyacht fleet movements. Delegates received a copy of the ‘Gulf Superyacht Market Report 2022’ which provided probably the most comprehensive data on the regional superyacht market available to the industry.

Further topics over the two days included;

  • The future of the Gulf fielding a panel of regional experts.
  • Investing in the UAE featuring global experts including Francis Lapp the founder of Sunreef Yachts.
  • Looking after the growing fleet in the UAE.
  • The challenges of yacht ownership in the Gulf.
  • Attracting new clients in the Gulf.
  • The Owner’s Perspective, Interview with two superyacht owners to get their perspective on cruising the Gulf region and beyond.
  • Charter the way forward for the Gulf?
  • The Great Eastern Route, what can the different regions and countries do together to get more superyachts travelling eastwards. A discussion with five Asian Superyacht experts including Andy Treadwell from the Singapore Yacht Show.
  • The Energy Challenge
  • Designing and building Superyachts vs Cruise Ships.
  • The event rounded off with a Keynote Interview with Peter Lurssen.

The summit was undoubtedly a success, the new owners bringing a fresh vision to the business of yachting conferences in the GCC.

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