Palma de Mallorca will be the place to be on the 24th and 25th of April, as the first-ever Balearic Superyacht Forum will be hosted by Balearic Marine Cluster and The Superyacht Group.
This week the Balearic Marine Cluster held the Presentation of the Forum in an event that was attended by more than a hundred companies and thirty authorities.
The Balearic Superyacht Forum is the first forum for large yachts in Spain, wich will bring together regional and international experts and a select list of VIP guests to discuss the main aspects that will determine the future of the nautical industry.
The dates of the Balearic Superyacht Forum have not been chosen at random; its celebration coincides with the first day of the Palma International Boat Show, which will take place from April 25 to 28 and is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. The aim of choosing these days is to expand the schedule of activities of the nautical salon, which promises to be an exciting edition full of activities that will be promptly announced through the 40th anniversary website of PIBS: palmainternationalboatshow.com/40th-anniversary/
The casuistry of both events promises to turn the city of Palma into the epicenter of the international nautical sector, offering participants the opportunity to enjoy both experiences.
The Balearic Superyacht Forum is born with the aim of reinforcing the competitive position of our islands and their nautical business fabric, presenting the Balearic Islands as the most complete region for the yachting sector in all its fields: naval repair and maintenance, nautical tourism, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
All this is reflected in the dynamic programme of the forum, which includes a wide variety of sessions, presentations, and interactive activities focused on aspects such as innovation, sustainability, the evolution of the nautical maintenance and repair industry in Palma, as well as the opportunities and challenges facing the Balearic Islands as an international nautical tourism destination.
Up to 300 local and international attendees can participate in this event, of which 100 can opt for a VIP entry at no additional cost for the forum, and their accommodation expenses will be covered by the Balearic Marine Cluster, to ensure the attendance of key actors in the development of the industry in this first edition of many to come.
The relevance of the nautical sector in this premium location is undebatable, in 2022 the sector represented a 3% of the Islands’ GDP, generating a direct turnover of €1.045 million.
Concentrating much of the activity in naval repair and maintenance activities (43% of turnover), followed by nautical tourism (39%), service companies for nautical activities (12%), and distribution of nautical materials and components (6%).
To contextualize this data and have a deeper understanding of the sector’s needs, two round tables have been held.
The first table, entitled “The impact of the REFIT industry in the Balearic Islands,” took place with the participation of prominent speakers. Mr. Diego Colón, CEO of Astilleros de Mallorca, Mr. Peter Brown, Global Director of the Yachting Group, Ms. Antonella Della Pietra, Managing Partner of BWA Yachting Spain, Mr. Nacho Díaz, Mr. Toni Salom, CEO of Nautipaint Group, Ms. Olimpia Corral, Chief Operating Officer of Baltic Yachts.
The second and final table of the event, “The impact of nautical tourism in the Balearic Islands,” featured prominent speakers as well: Mr. Tomeu Bestard, CEO and President of Alcudiamar, Ms. Isabel Martínez, Commercial Director of Grupo IPM. Ms. Isabel Teruel, Operations Director of Port Adriano. Mr. Guillermo García, Marketing Manager of Evolution Yacht Agents, Mr. Oscar Siches, Consultant of Marinas and Ports, ansd Mr. Jaume Vaquer, Manager of Jaume Vermell Nautical and President of AENIB.
