Why Yacht Shows Still Matter in a Digital Industry
Listings, platforms and video calls have transformed yacht sales — but the handshake on the dock is still where the real relationships begin.
After more than a decade of walking the pontoons — from Monaco and Cannes to Fort Lauderdale, Palma and Antigua — I am often asked whether yacht shows still make sense when so much of the business has moved online.
My answer is always the same: more than ever.
The platforms do the matching. People do the trusting.
I spent ten years helping build one of the industry’s leading yacht sales platforms, so I am the last person to underestimate technology. Listings, data and digital tools have made the market faster and more transparent. But a platform can’t tell you how a broker treats their clients, or whether a shipyard team will pick up the phone when something goes wrong.
That is what you learn on the dock.
The best deals I have seen started as a coffee at a show and grew into years of working together.
Getting the most out of a show
A few things I have learned over many seasons on the circuit:
- Plan your meetings, but leave room for the unexpected. Some of the best conversations happen between appointments.
- Follow up within a week. Everyone is exhausted after a show — a short, personal note stands out.
- Visit the business lounges and side events. That is where people relax and real conversations happen.
- Listen more than you pitch. Ask what your client is struggling with this season. Then help.
See you on the dock
Shows are what keep my love for this industry alive — the energy, the people, the boats. If you will be at one of the upcoming events, let’s connect and find time for a coffee.
From the event
Enjoyed this insight?
Share it with your network.
