Heesen MYS 2022 YachtTalk Specials episode 1 – The Future of Yachting

Filmed live from Monaco’s glitzy Port Hercule during the 2022 Monaco Yacht Show, a Heesen YachtTalk special looked at how to future proof the yachting industry. Host Charlotte Kan caught up with Gaëlle Tallarida, managing director of MYS, and Raphael Sauleau, CEO of Fraser Yachts at the Monaco Yacht Club to ask how the industry can attract and seduce new generations of yacht owners, and to find out how new technologies could change both owner lifestyles and the sustainability of the market.

Sustainably forward
The Monaco Yacht Show requires no introduction, serving as the most prestigious event in      yachting’s boat show calendar for more than 30 years. It’s also the perfect opportunity to push innovation. One of the show’s focal points was sustainability, which reflects the growing demand from clients.

“This year we developed a sustainability hub to present all the innovation, in terms of eco-friendly projects and technologies that can help to make the industry greener,” says Tallarida. “It’s down to us to highlight all available opportunities to make superyachts of today more sustainable.”

The show itself is organised by theme, with specific tents grouping together like-minded businesses, from the yacht design hub that focuses on the latest design trends to the Parvis Piscine showcase of interior décor. This year also saw the addition of an adventure area, which focuses on the yachting lifestyle, from tenders and toys to off-road bicycles.

“There is a shift in the age of potential clients who are entering the yachting industry, and we are adapting our efforts to reflect that,” says Tallarida. “Ten to 15 years ago, the average age of yacht owners was around 60 years of age. Today, we see a rise in younger clients, which is why we as an international marketplace need to adapt the show to meet the needs of this demographic.”

Lusine: A moon landing
A total of 118 yachts were on display this year. Arguably the star of the show was Heesen’s newly delivered 60m Lusine, which won ‘Best custom yacht of the year’ by Yachts International Awards 2022. Captained by veteran of the sea, Varun Raju, the boat enjoys exterior design by Omega Architects, and a stunning interior by Sinot Yacht Design, using more than 180 precious materials.

Notable interior features include a table in the main salon inlaid with moonstone, and a leather 3D textured wall that soars through the central atrium, tracking from the seabed to land and sky, and finishing with a celestial moon and stars. On the exterior, a private owner’s foredeck with on-deck jacuzzi and a touch-and-go helipad (supported by dynamic positioning) nod to the ultimate in convenience.

Shifting Times
For brokerage house Fraser Yachts, 2022 has continued the upwards trend in sales and charter. “Last year was what we now think of as a golden year in yachting, and this year we still see a strong appetite for yachting,” says Sauleau. “At Fraser, we experienced a small drop in sales, however the charter market is surpassing last year by about 20%.”

Sauleau also highlighted a rise in clients who are new to yachting, and which account for around 30% of clients this year, and he echoed Tallarida’s observations that the overall age of clients is decreasing.

“Yachting clients are getting younger, which means in the past ten years the average age of our customers  has dropped to around 45 years old. That’s quite a shift! With that comes to new expectations, different itineraries and new design trends – larger windows, open beach clubs and sustainability coupled with conservation.”

“The American clients are driving the market today,” he adds. “They are pushing the trend for explorer expeditions, including rediscovering America’s coastlines. That includes the Caribbean, which now accounts for 33%, with clients choosing to remain there all year round and not make the transatlantic crossing to the Med for summer. These are all industry transitions that are pushing change.”

When it comes to sustainability, Sauleau notes that the industry is trying to make improvements, but there are limitations. He cited reasonable timelines for implementing new technologies as being key to future successes. “We, as an industry, need to be aligned,” he says.

You can watch this episode here.