Abu Dhabi Yacht Show 2010 success heralds next year's event

by Informa Yacht Group on 30 Oct 2010 The second Abu Dhabi Yacht Show, held earlier this year, has yielded a massive sale - that of the megayacht Alysia, which was recently completed by Global Superyacht Brokers Edmiston & Company, along with joint central agents Burgess and Peter Insull’s Yacht Marketing.

At 85m, Alysia is amongst the world’s 100 largest yachts and was listed for sale at €85 million (AED. 387 million.) The yacht, which will be renamed Moonlight II, will remain on the charter market with Edmiston.

All three central agencies responsible for the sale participated in ADYS 2010. Jamie Edmiston commented: 'Alysia is a magnificent vessel and was one of the most important yachts on to the market in the past two years. Her presence at the Abu Dhabi Yacht Show played an important part in her sale.'

Jonathan Beckett, CEO, Burgess, said Abu Dhabi’s superyacht infrastructure is now attracting an influential audience. 'We get access to a coveted client base. Deals such as this only confirm that the emirate is definitely on the radar of key players within the industry.'

Peter Insull, CEO of Peter Insull’s Yacht Marketing, agreed: 'Abu Dhabi’s growing investment in infrastructure for superyacht owners and charterers can only see this region’s significance increase within the industry. And as a platform for bringing together companies and clients interested in this category of vessels, the Abu Dhabi Yacht Show has no parallel in this part of the world.'

Another major deal emerging from an ADYS 2010 outing was the sale of a new build – a 34m Hull #7741-112 – from US giant Westport for over US$11 million to a Middle East client.

'This was the second year Westport had a presence at Abu Dhabi Yacht Show and we were very satisfied with the extent and quality of interest expressed by visitors, manifested in this recent sale, which came about based on a relationship strengthened when we were in Abu Dhabi this February,' commented Philip Purcell, Vice-President Sales, Westport.

Commenting on news of the two yacht sales, Frank Dailles, Group Director of Informa Yacht Group (IYG), organisers of ADYS, said: 'Alysia was one of the most spectacular yachts at both the 2009 and the 2010 Abu Dhabi Yacht shows, and received considerable attention as a result. Her sale, leading on from the show – along with the sale of the new Westport build – confirms that ADYS has emerged as a first class event for presenting luxury vessels of these dimensions and of this price range to a high calibre audience of serious buyers.'

The inaugural edition of ADYS held in March 2009 saw negotiations on the sale of the 73.2m superyacht MY Rabdan (formerly Silver) begin at the show and successfully closed shortly after. At an asking price of €64.5 million (AED. 294 million), the sale of Silver was the biggest of last year’s show, trumped this year by the recent sale of Alysia.
'Access to serious clients and firm sales are critical to establishing the reputation of new industry events.

Abu Dhabi Yacht Show has proved its ability to deliver substantial business results, despite this being only its second year. The sale of both Alysia and the Westport 122 will create ripples in the superyacht industry, and underline the growing reputation of ADYS as now being one of the world’s most important superyacht shows,' concluded Dailles.
The second Abu Dhabi Yacht Show was held February 25-27, 2010 at Yas Marina Abu Dhabi.

With Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority as the show’s headline sponsor, the three-day event featured a line-up of 30 of the world’s most impressive superyachts and some 140 exhibitors representing most of the international yachting industry powerhouses. Details of the 2011 edition of ADYS will follow shortly.

More at www.abudhabiyachtshow.com