Marketing Strategy: the charter show business...

Although charter show is certainly a profitable business for the organizers, it may not be the same for the yacht owners...

Article published on IBI news
By IBI Magazine/Michael Howorth

"The two premier charter yacht shows both ended on December 9, signalling the start of the Caribbean Christmas charter season.

Once again the shows clashed and overlapped, ensuring that the charter yacht brokers could only divide their time between the two shows or miss one out altogether.

The result was that everyone suffered, including the yachts and their owners who, having paid substantial sums to attend, were delivered short change with the drop-off in time each broker was able to devote to the yacht.

Each show had declared, before the event, a stunning confirmed booking list with hardly room left for late entries. Yet in both venues, empty berths clearly indicated that yachts had not made the time slots because of bad weather, late departure from refit yards or had simply pulled out of attending. Several no-shows contacted by IBI stated that they were never confirmed bookings, despite their names appearing in show guides.

The Antigua Charter Yacht Meeting has, over the years, clocked up 47 successful shows and this one that ran from December 4-9 was no exception. With 84 yachts registered and just six not showing up or cancelling, the show also attracted 234 accredited yacht brokers and 130 trade visitors.

The newly instigated St Maarten Chart Yacht Show, now in its fourth year and the second year running under the auspices of MYBA, who had earlier unsuccessfully tried to work with the AYCM, ran from December 6-9.

The show was billed as attracting over 45 large motoryachts yet when IBI counted the yachts open as show exhibits there were just 35 available all of them powerboats. The show also attracted 139 credited yacht brokers and 56 trade visitors with many having visited both shows."