HK$1 billion of luxury boats at Gold Coast show

by Event Media on 3 May 2008 On 2-4 May, 2008, Sino Group’s Gold Coast Yacht and Country Club hosts its annual marine mega-show featuring the world’s most prestigious boat brands. Running for its 11th consecutive year, this major boat show has attracted 40 boat builders from Italy, UK, USA, Australia and Taiwan, plus local manufacturers. They will present prestigious brands such as Azimut, Sunseeker, Princess, Beneteau, Ferretti, Fairline, Chris Craft and more. The 80-odd boats and cruisers range in value from HK$300,000 to HK$500 million and offer boating enthusiasts a remarkable opportunity to see HK$1 billion dollars worth of boats all at once.

Hong Kong’s recently booming economy has created many new millionaires and enabled the rich to become even richer. Among wealthy individuals, a yacht has always been a sought-after toy and status symbol. Many large leisure yachts are finished with luxurious interiors and equipped with state-of-the-art technology. This year the Gold Coast Boat Show will feature two top-of-the-line cruisers that are among the biggest and most expensive ever built.

One of these, the Ambrosia, a 213-foot long three-decker megayacht, at HK$500 million, is believed to be the most expensive luxury cruiser ever offered in Hong Kong. Another equally stunning cruiser on show, Grand Delight, has a length of 115 feet and has been categorised as one of the top 10 super boats in Hong Kong. The deep waters of the Gold Coast Yacht Club are suitable for berthing yachts up to and over 200 ft. No wonder many big boats have been attracted to the Gold Coast, including the LVMH Group’s super-luxurious yacht. With one-stop services and comprehensive facilities that include the nearby 5-star resort-style Hong Kong Gold Coast Hotel, the Gold Coast Yacht Club is certainly a highly competitive player in this industry.

With many successful entrepreneurs emerging in China in recent years, there’s bound to be an increase in new boat owners, which suggests a lucrative future for the yacht berthing business.

This year the Gold Coast Boat Show’s organisers have invited a number of key boat manufacturers to share their views of business opportunities in Hong Kong and China. They include Mr. Albert Wu, General Manager of Gold Coast Yacht and Country Club, Mr. Mike Simpson of Simpson Marine, Mr. Gordon Hui Yip Wang, Managing Director of Sunseeker Asia Ltd, Mr. Bart Kimman, Yacht Broker of Asia Yacht Services Ltd., Mr. Olivier Besson, Managing Director of Asia Yachting Limited, and Mr. Joseph Chan, Managing Director of Master Yachts Company.