In recent years, Chinese yacht brands have emerged on the international scene. This highlights not only the economic competitiveness of the Asian giant but also the rapid rise of the Chinese yachting industry. To promote the sector and discuss this favorable situation, the Boating Sanya 2024 show was held from December 5 to 8, gathering yachting leaders from around the world. The event was not just a platform to showcase the latest technologies and design frontiers in the industry, but above all an opportunity to expand knowledge and discuss future development directions.
This year, Boating Sanya 2024 invited a rich panel of industry experts to participate in numerous forums and roundtables addressing the most important topics for yachting, including branding, technological innovation, sustainability, and the expansion of the Chinese yachting industry.
Chinese yachting overseas thanks to Boating Sanya 2024
The rapid development of the Chinese yachting industry cannot ignore the promotion of brands beyond national borders. This is why an increasing number of Chinese yacht brands are continuing to strengthen their influence and competitiveness by participating in international industry fairs and creating sales networks abroad. These efforts, in addition to gaining recognition in the international market, have also given new momentum to the innovation of the entire Chinese yachting industry. It is no coincidence that the main event at Boating Sanya 2024 was “Chinese Yacht Brands Going Overseas”.
This forum featured several prominent guests invited to deliver keynote speeches. From different perspectives, Mahmoud Itani (Marketing & Communications expert at IR Yachts Consultancy), Arnaud Lemeunier (Captain and Founder of SLV Marine), and Allen Leng (Chairman of Heysea Yachts) discussed the internationalization strategy of the Chinese yacht industry, the shift in the Middle Eastern market, and the future direction of Chinese shipyards, presenting the audience with new ideas on the development of the yachting industry.
Alexandre Heng
Allen Leng
Arnaud Lemeumer
Demolar Du
Fabio Bronda
Joost Mertens
Leo Yang
Mahmoud Itani
Sam Li
Samuel Xu
Weng Kangqiang
Yolanda Liu
Zhu Lixiong
Special focus on sustainable development
Another important conference at Boating Sanya 2024 was dedicated to the sustainable development of the yachting industry. With the growing global demand for environmental protection, electric propulsion has become a key direction for the transformation and upgrading of the yachting industry. This was discussed by Joost Mertens (Sales Manager & partner at Vripack Design), Demolar Du (Chairwoman of Shanghai Far East Composites and Shanghai High Seas Sailing Friends Yacht Club), Weng Kangqiang (CATL Electric Boat Technology), and Fabio Bronda (Bronda Architects), who focused on the transformation and application of new energies, technologies, and eco-friendly materials for the yachting industry. In particular, the experts revealed the green, smart, and sustainable future of the sector.
In direct continuity with this theme, there was a sub-forum on the maritime lifestyle. With the continuous development of the global economy and the steady improvement of people’s living standards, the sustainable lifestyle of yacht owners has become an increasingly important goal to pursue. Yachts not only reflect the pursuit of a high-quality life but also become an important platform for connecting different cultures and expanding social circles. This roundtable aimed to bring together five experts and leaders in the industry (Leo Yang, chief representative of Burgess China; Zhu Lixiong, chairman of Shanghai Vita Biotechnology; Yolanda Liu, general manager of Hainan Visun Yacht Industry Development Investment Group; Alexandre Heng, founder of Asia Pacific Private Jet & Superyacht Company O2H2O; and Sam Li, chairman of Jetpon Group) to engage in an in-depth discussion on how to contribute to the sustainable development of the yacht industry while enhancing the high-end lifestyle quality of yacht owners. Moderator of the meetings was Samuel Xu, founder of China’s first marine industry consulting and service company, Chao Yachting, as well as the popular boating video media channels Yacht Sam and Yacht Ace.
In conclusion, Boating Sanya 2024 was a comprehensive event for the Chinese yachting industry, essential for understanding its current and future development prospects.
