Monaco Yacht Show - more than ever the referential event for the world's luxury yachting community
At the end of every summer, more than 500 companies working in luxury yachting and its satellite activities show off their latest creations, their innovations and 100 of the world's loveliest yachts, in Monaco.
Close on 30,000 participants – private clients, professional visitors, exhibitors, journalists and other media professionals – travel from every continent to the Principality to attend the show.
Following many years of strong growth (in this sector notably), the year 2009 is marked by a serious downturn in global economic activity, to which the yachting world is not immune .
The 19th edition of the Monaco Yacht Show is nonetheless fully booked up, due essentially to its undisputed position, for several years now, as the leading luxury yachting show, to the yachting industry's and yacht owners' confidence in it, and to its role as an unparalleled networking platform for establishing valuable contacts in an ambience favorable to business.
The 9,000 m² of stands are fully booked. Although the return rate is slightly down on 2008, this has been compensated for, partly by the waiting list of companies wishing to participate in the show and partly by returning exhibitors wanting to book larger stands. Indeed, even though the number of double-decker pavilions has been doubled, this has still not been sufficient to satisfy the entire demand for these high-visibility exhibition areas.
Afloat, the 100 berths available have all been booked and the organizers already have a long waiting list.
A consistently reaffirmed focus on excellence and an ongoing revitalization process form the leitmotiv for the show's organizers, who in addition are firmly committed to pursuing the policy of social responsibility that they have been developing for many years now.
This policy takes the concrete form of a strong commitment to protecting the environment by contributing (since 2005) to the Carbon Neutral initiative through payment of an ecotax that finances certified international environmental projects. A further significant measure and feature of this ecoresponsible approach is that all the show's public relations documents are printed on 100% recycled paper.
The policy is additionally symbolized by two actions in aid of Association Monégasque contre les Myopathies (AMM), which helps fund research into the children's disease Duchenne muscular dystrophy since 2001: the donation of 50% of the show's admission takings and the organization of a charity auction. The third edition of the Only Watch charity auction, partnered by Patrizzi & Co Auctioneers, is inviting around 30 of the most exclusive Swiss watchmakers to surpass themselves by creating outstanding watches to be auctioned on September 24 at the Monaco Yacht Show; these will be on display on September 23 and 24.
The 19th edition of the Monaco Yacht Show is being held from September 23 to 26, 2009 in the Principality of Monaco.