Around 200 boats from 50 exhibitors worldwide participated in the Boating Sanya 2024 boat show. The gentle sea breeze rustling through the coconut palms, which graced every day of the event, heralded a promising season for the Chinese boating industry. This prestigious event has become one of its main international showcases.
Successfully wrapping up on December 8, Boating Sanya proved to be a significant milestone in the global yacht industry. The exhibition featured top-quality boats from around the world and facilitated valuable interactions among boating enthusiasts, investors, and industry professionals. With hundreds of boats on display, the show also highlighted Sanya’s charm as the “city of a thousand boats”.
A wonderful urban gem overlooking the South China Sea, Sanya is a hub for nautical tourism. It boasts an extensive coastline with first-class marinas and pristine waters, complemented by unique natural landscapes and a year-round tropical climate. These favorable conditions, combined with the benefits derived from the growth of Sanya’s boating industry, present promising opportunities for further development—a sentiment palpable throughout the Boating Sanya show.
Sanya has recently focused on reforming the boating industry and developing an innovative pilot zone by implementing an open-yacht policy, standardizing tourism practices, improving services, and promoting sector growth. The city currently hosts over 7,300 yacht-related businesses, accounting for more than half of Hainan’s total and 22.7% of China’s yacht industry companies. With over 1,400 registered yachts, Sanya has established itself as a key hub in the sector, earning the title “City of a Thousand Boats”. This year’s Boating Sanya theme, “Raising Sails in Sanya, ‘Boating’ into the Free Trade Port,” reflects the city’s ambitious goal of leveraging its maritime resources, connecting globally, and solidifying its status as a central hub for international nautical tourism.
Boating Sanya 2024 was dominated by a vibrant atmosphere, featuring diverse activities such as fashion and lifestyle exhibitions, yacht premieres and debuts, marine photography displays, various thematic forums, and award ceremonies. The event culminated in the highly anticipated “China Yacht Awards Ceremony,” which spotlighted emerging trends in yacht design and innovation.
More specifically, Boating Sanya attracted 45 brands and 50 exhibitors from ten countries, including France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, and Turkey. Renowned names such as Beneteau and Azimut showcased a total of approximately 200 boats. The event generated sales of 10 million yen (equivalent to over €1.3 million) and drew nearly 20,000 attendees, highlighting Sanya’s growing significance in the global yacht market. Notably, Boating Sanya also featured a special short video and photography contest open to both exhibitors and visitors which enhanced the overall experience by celebrating Sanya’s distinctive yachting culture and lifestyle.
Looking at the future after the remarkable success of this event, Sanya remains committed to advancing the Hainan Free Trade Port initiative with a more open and pragmatic approach. This will enhance accessibility, improve the business environment, and strengthen regional influence, ultimately laying a broader and more solid foundation for the flourishing recreational boating industry.
