15 Jan
Croatia has become a beacon of modern yacht charter.
Does the industry really need another crewed charter show?
Actually, it does.
The origins of crewed yacht charters do not stem from wealthy families sailing along the coast of Italy in the early 19th century, or even from royalty on the French Riviera where they took to the sea to escape the heat.
In fact, they come from the often hostile Scottish seas in the late 1800s and early 1900s, when agricultural workers from the Highlands laid down their tools to skipper for Scotland’s wealthy industrialists in a series of summer yachting races. According to some records, Scots, such as the Singer sewing machine family, the Teacher whisky family, and the Lipton tea family, were all sailing fans who recruited local crofters from the Scottish Highlands to crew their yachts.
Slowly, it became clear that not only friends and business partners were interested in this experience: others were willing to compensate the owner and crew to experience this luxury.
Croatia, a country on the east Adriatic coast, has been slowly, but surely, rising through the ranks of the most popular yachting destinations of the world. Within the last 25 years, Croatia has become a beacon of modern yacht charter. In bareboat charter it rivals Greece, equal in size and attraction.
The custom of yacht-crew hosting guests on their yacht has thereafter spread to sailing destinations across the globe. Consequently, most of these destinations have developed events to showcase their yachts and crew. To measure, to compare, to boast with, and to advertise their expertise. Most popular yachting destinations like the Caribbean, France, Greece and Turkey have their own yacht shows.
The crewed charter development has been slower. Superyachts not only have a more niche, less flexible community, but also require specific infrastructure to survive and thrive. In the last decade, some circumstances have changed favorably. Today, Croatia is on the verge of becoming the next superyacht destination for charter guests around the world.
This is why the Yachtmaster Group, a specialized yacht-charter-event company, started the “Croatia Yacht Show”.
The mission is to prepare for the arrival for the rising superyacht charter fleet, the vision is to create one of the most luxurious, productive, but nonetheless fun events the charter community has ever seen.
