Dubai International Boat Show opens on Tuesday

Dubai: This year’s Dubai International Boat Show, the 21st edition which opens on Tuesday, is set to be one of the strongest shows in years.

“Demand for our boats — especially for the smaller range — has gone up massively; boat sales have gone up since the third quarter of last year. There are positive signs that the market is recovering,” Toby Scruby, general manager at Al Futtaim Marine told Gulf News.

However, Scruby says that for the past two to three years “the mid-range market has been suffering. But we’re seeing stronger demand for second hand boats [within that range], and we think demand for new ones will go up in the future.”

The public event, which runs until Saturday, will feature 430 boats and 19 luxurious superyachts, valued at over Dh1 billion, at the Dubai International Marine Club (DIMC), Mina Seyahi. Visitors and buyers will be able to meet with over 750 companies and brands from 49 countries.

Erwin Bamps, the COO of Gulf Craft, said there has been a rise in boat launches this year.

“Luxury spend and tourism are on the rise in the region. In response to these trends, more people are investing in the Middle East,” he said.

Gulf Craft is expected to have two international launches; a small boat and a yacht. It will also launch the third version of the Majesty 125 model for the first time regionally, which was well received in Cannes last year

Additionally, the show will be a platform for 30 global and regional launches from companies like Al Shaali Marine, Gulf Craft, Delma Marine, and many others.

As for increasing spend on product launches, “this is because of the upturn in sales as a response to consumer trends. At Gulf Craft, we are investing in new products from the cashflow we received from continued sales over the past four to five years,” he said.

The UAE’s marine sector is showing signs of growth, given its mega marine projects, including Bluewater Island, Maritime City, the Waterfront and the Village.

Responding to the growth, the Gulf Boating Conference, as well as the Luxury Supplies and Services (LSS) and Equipment Supplies and Services seminars will be running alongside the show.

Al Futtaim Marine, a boat services and brokerage company launched by Al Futtaim Group during last year’s edition of the show, will launch three brands and five products for the first time in the region.

Larson, an American-based company, will feature four boats of the small range, from 19 to 24 ft, priced between Dh150,000-290,000; while Pursuit will showcase a mid-range boat between 18 to 38 ft.

Meanwhile, representatives of the luxury yacht maker Heesen Yachts, Al Futtaim Marine’s third brand, will be present at the show for the brand’s launch.

The show opens from 3pm to 9:30pm daily.

Sarah Algethami is a trainee at Gulf News