With discussions on the opportunities, challenges and the future of the industry, the summit’s 3^rd edition was aimed at transforming the superyacht landscape in the UAE and the region

Held under the patronage of DP World’s subsidiary P&O Marinas and co-organised by Fabulous Yachts, The International Superyacht Summit 2021 was held on the 8^th and 9^thof December at the iconic Queen Elizabeth 2, at Mina Rashid. By bringing together industry experts, superyacht builders and management companies, superyacht owners and captains, in discussions involving the future of the leisure yachting industry, the summit aimed to capitalise on Dubai and the UAE’s leading position in the superyacht sector.

In collaboration with key stakeholders like Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism and Dubai Maritime City Authority, the superyacht summit was powered by local and international top players of the industry such as Abu Dhabi Maritime, Abu Dhabi Ports Group, Adriatic 42, MB92, Al Seer Marine, Ferretti Group, Lurssen, Oceanco, Damen, Camper and Nicholsons, Burgess and many others, which clearly showed how the industry is keen to take a collaborative approach to drive growth within the sector.

Discussing the future of the industry

Top executives and industry elites who participated in the event included Issam Kazim, CEO, Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing; H.E. Ali Al Shaiba, Executive Director at Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism; Captain Saif Al Mheiri, Managing Director at Abu Dhabi Maritime and Abeer Alshaali, Deputy Managing Director at Gulf Craft, among others, who enlightened attendees and offered key insights into the industry.

Through a series of speeches and panel discussions, speakers highlighted various subjects including the 2030 superyacht vision, building the perfect superyacht destination, optimal superyacht business landscape in the Gulf, setting a sustainable superyacht agenda for the Gulf and other topics. Martin Redmayne, Chairman of The Superyacht Group, was the moderator of the Summit. Redmayne’s continuous endorsement of the event testifies to the international specialist media’s interest in the Gulf Region, which is rapidly transforming into a new superyacht destination, superyacht service centre and a winter home port. The summit successfully concluded with an exclusive one-to-one keynote conversation with Alberto Galassi, CEO of Ferretti Group, one of the world’s leaders in the construction and sale of luxury yachts and leisure vessels.

Hamza Mustafa, Chief Operating Officer, P&O Marinas said: “It was an incredible two-day event with some intensive discussions around key topics concerning the superyacht and marine leisure tourism sectors combined. Dubai already holds an exceptional place in the marine leisure tourism industry with large numbers of tourists arriving via cruise tourism, and others availing the extensive amenities offered by the city’s world-class marinas. We hope discussions from the Summit will be strategic and instrumental in boosting yachting tourism, while also transforming the superyacht business landscape, making it modern, competitive and high-quality for both visitors and investors.”

Powering Dubai’s premium boating infrastructure

Featuring world-class ports and superyacht berths with state-of-the-art facilities, the UAE has an ideal setup for a thriving leisure tourism industry. Dubai especially has attractive and competitive advantages including suitable berth spaces, dedicated support facilities and its strategic location along a beautiful coastline.

Capt. Tony Crabbe, CEO of Fabulous Yachts said: “The UAE and the Middle East have sophisticated infrastructure and the capacity to welcome yachts of all shapes and sizes. People around the world are already acknowledging this. Events such as the International Superyacht Summit will add to the growing global interest in the region’s superyacht industry. We are hoping to see rapid growth in this sector over the next couple of years.”

In collaboration with P&O Marinas and The Superyacht Group, the summit also held a strategic workshop ‘Superyachts 2030 – A Superyacht Strategy for the UAE’, a VIP focus group to formulate a real action plan and tangible objectives to create optimal conditions for superyachts to successfully operate & cruise in the Gulf. The primary aim was to ensure that all key local stakeholders will continue to be committed throughout the year to implement the strategy and strengthen Dubai and the UAE’s position on the global superyacht map.

During the summit, P&O Marinas announced hosting the exceptional SailGP Season 3, to be held at Mina Rashid Marina in November 2022. A signing ceremony was held at Queen Elizabeth 2, with Julien di Biase, Chief Operating Officer of SailGP and Hamza Mustafa, Chief Operating Officer of P&O Marinas.