This year's boating season is at our doorstep and like every year, many owners of large yachts are preparing for a "Mediterranean" holiday. The most sought after spots are often re-visited: Cannes, Capri, Palma and so on... Spain, France, Italy, Croatia and Greece are vying to host the best Superyachts that regularly cruise the Mediterranean basin which is the only one capable of offering such a special mild climate, natural beauty, art, history, important archaeological sites and last but not least excellent wines and exquisite gastronomic products.
The luxury charter market is the first to benefit from this with a proven growth of 12% in terms of fleet and with a 3.5% growth in terms of value (further details in the Industry Report article on page 134).
As for Italy's heavily penalised coasts, over the past few years and in spite of carefully divulged rumours there seems to be a return to the norm which has currently been confirmed by numerous bookings for berths in the marinas throughout the Peninsula.
Despite the recent drop in sales in the superyacht market due to the past crisis, all things considered, this segment has not done so badly and hasn't been so hard hit by the recession as the rest of the recreational boating sector all over the world.
All major shipyards have enough firm orders to carry them safely through this year and the next. Among these in pole position are the Dutch competitors who with farsightedness, tradition and great business acumen have created a lobby in support of the entire sector. A necessary tool through which to reveal technologic as well as stylistic contents to the market and pass on financial support to face up to innovative if not futuristic projects.
Italian shipyards the undisputed world leaders in the construction of superyachts are recovering lost ground with initiatives like the one put forward by Vincenzo Poerio MD for Benetti with Navigo which represents the innovative recreational boating centre in Tuscany, a service company created in support of small businesses in the region, or ONI'S initiative (Operatori Nautici Italiani) which was formally represented at the Seatec 2013 event.
Superyacht's editorial office's sincere wish is that the Italian, but also the French, the Turkish, the British etc. jump at the Dutch example and treasure it dearly.