Thailand Yacht Show – attracting Superyachts to the region
PHOTO: Andy Treadwell, CEO and Founder, Thailand Yacht Show
At a Press Conference in Bangkok last week Prakob Wongmaneerung, Vice Governor of Phuket, Nithee Seeprae, Executive Director of Product Promotion Department of TAT and Andy Treadwell, CEO and Founder of the Thailand Yacht Show, along with numerous officials and key business leaders, gathered to re-confirm their commitment to promoting Thailand as Asia’s premier yachting hub.
Their objective is to position Thailand as a new luxury tourism destination for the world’s high-spending yachting community and ‘winter’ destination for the world’s superyacht fleet.
The Thailand Yacht Show was conceived to promote superyacht charter holidays, yacht tourism and on-water sporting activities in one of the world’s most beautiful yet virtually undiscovered cruising destinations, to seasoned marine tourists as well as a new, affluent but as yet uninitiated, consumer audience from Asia.
Unlike any other boat show in the region, TYS is conceived as a “try it and see” event which offers a truly immersive experience for newcomers, with cruises, demonstrations and yacht parties for guests to discover the lifestyle first hand.
TYS boosts Thailand’s image as an international yachting and luxury tourism hub and will attract and engage foreign direct investment, positively impacting the high-end tourism industry in the region.
The economic benefits for Thailand’s businesses will include the creation of more jobs and high-end leisure infrastructure and facilities, as well as developing existing first-class natural, cultural and lifestyle assets. All tourism service sectors will achieve positive economic impact and benefits.
Andy Treadwell, CEO and Founder of the Thailand Yacht Show, said “Our aim is to make Phuket and Thailand the principal hub for yachting in Asia, and a new winter destination of choice for the global fleet of 5,000 superyachts which are predominantly based in the Mediterranean in the summer. Thailand’s beautiful yachting coastlines, dramatic landscapes, perfect year-round weather, and wonderful hospitality appeal to everyone, and with its excellent infrastructure, facilities, marinas and services to support at least 120 superyachts already, the country is a natural haven for nautical tourism.”
Through its partnership with the Thai government, the Thailand Yacht Show team is undertaking an international destination marketing campaign to bring yacht owners, as well as prospective charterers and buyers, to experience Thailand’s luxury maritime lifestyle first hand. Some tax and immigration issues currently remain unresolved, but Treadwell believes the government’s enthusiastic and proactive stance on eventually changing these, reflects their genuine desire to get the world’s biggest superyachts coming to Thailand and the wider ASEAN region to spend their millions of tourism dollars.
The lineup for the third edition will feature more of the region’s premier yachting and luxury brands – from stylish superyachts to the latest launches. Local and international visitors will have a chance to view and even try out boats and yachts presented by the country’s leading boat dealers and yacht brokers.
The Thailand Yacht Show is on at the Ao Po Grand Marina from February 22-25. Read more about the show HERE.
