Proper licensing needed to stimulate Thai boating activity

by Phuket Gazette on 20 Jun 2015 Andy Treadwell was the founder and CEO of Informa Plc’s Sports & Leisure Group (ISLG) and has been working with a number of the world’s most prestigious yachting and sporting industry events from 2007 until 2012. He is now based in Singapore, busy developing a portfolio of events specializing in the leisure marine sector, focusing on unlocking the huge potential for the yachting industry in Asia.

ISLG encompassed all the sports and yachting businesses in the company, including industry-leading events such as the Monaco Yacht Show, the Singapore Yacht Show, the Superyacht Cup Regattas, the Abu Dhabi Yacht Show, the Phuket International Boat Show, the International Sports Event Management Conference, Future Sponsorship and the World Yacht Racing Forum.

Here, he talks about the impact the growth of the superyacht industry in Phuket could have on the economy.

“Phuket already plays a central role in the yachting industry in Southeast Asia, in the sense that it has a 10 or 20 year head start as the best-known destination and the main ‘hub’ for large yachts cruising the region. More importantly, with the industry in Asia now poised to develop rapidly, the island has a genuine opportunity to capitalize on this situation over the next few years. It has the popularity, geographical position and infrastructure to benefit most from the expected influx of superyachts coming east from the Mediterranean for the winter season.

Phuket is an important location for the yachting industry, if not essential, in that it is the first and the most obvious stop-off point for all the big boats coming to Asia from the Mediterranean via the Gulf, the Indian Ocean and the Maldives. There are plenty of superyacht marina berths, hotels, refit and repair facilities and so on – it is a world-class cruising destination in its own right.

Now there is a genuine desire among owners, captains and charter guests to find somewhere new and less crowded – and here, even though it’s twice as far away, they will find unspoiled and virtually limitless cruising grounds, beautiful beaches and diving spots, as well as great service from friendly, happy people.

The main thing that has been stopping them has been incompatible regulation and the inability to legally charter. It costs anything up to US$500,000 to bring a big boat all the way to Asia – more for the really big boats – so once it’s gotten here, it really needs to stay for the entire season. Owners probably only use the boat for three or four weeks, so it’s important that all the rest of the time the crew can be kept occupied, the boat active and some charter fees earned to offset the huge cost for the owners.”

For full story, see: www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Opinion-Phuket-poised-superyacht-glory/59308#sthash.2r02oGzQ.dpuf