WORLD CLASS YACHTS IN ANTIGUA
The Antigua Charter Yacht Show was formed primarily for the benefit of the yachting industry in Antigua. Professional charter brokers from some of the most elite yacht charter houses worldwide, together with some of the biggest names in yachting journalism jet in from cities worldwide in early December from as far afield as New Zealand and the Galapagos Islands, from North America and Europe to participate in the show. the agents and brokers need every minute of every hour of the six day show to view and assess each registered yacht entry in detail. To maintain the highest of professional standards and security during the event and to enable the entrants to best showcase the full scope of their yachts’ assets to the brokers, the show is a private, invitation only event.
By showcasing such a world class event at the very start of the new season the show organizers’ ensure that their returning and first time prestigious guests experience an event of the very highest standards of professionalism and hospitality leaving a lasting impression of Antigua as a friendly and hospitable island and cruising destination and encouraging many yachts to choose to make Antigua their ‘home port’ throughout the rest of the season.
The ‘behind the scenes” team, comprises of the board Paul Deeth, Ann Marie Martin, Festus Isaac and Janetta Miller, and Antigua Show Management, Afsaneh Franklin and Sarah Sebastian. The team works relentlessly throughout the year to promote not only the Charter Show, but also Antigua and Barbuda itself as the prime Caribbean yachting destination to a worldwide audience. During the summer months they attend major yachting events, liaising with yacht Captains and leading members of the international yachting industry, listening to and acting upon ideas to continually upgrade the show and by investing revenue generated at the Antigua Show, they ensure that the highest standards of promotion, hospitality, entertainment and show facilities are upgraded and met each year.
The benefits of this show to the local and national economy are multifold. Approximately 2000 crew members accompany the registered professionally run yachts and ensure that taxi’s, car rental companies, restaurants and provisioning companies are guaranteed brisk business. The yacht service companies also benefit from a huge kick start to the new season with many of the arriving yachts seeking cosmetic repairs and routine maintenance prior to exhibiting at the event. Hotel rooms and rental villa’s in the English Harbour area are hard to find, with many having been repeat booked by returning agents following the success of the previous years’ event.
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