The primary one is a brand new marina for energy boats at Port Canto (one of many two in-water areas, the opposite being Vieux Port). The explanation for that is that development started within the port this 12 months – and understanding that we needed to reorganise the area for the present, as some areas the place we had been beforehand had been unavailable. This pushed us to be inventive and now we’ve a brand new part.
As beforehand, we guarantee that all the things is straightforward to seek out in our totally different sectors, in order that we maintain the customer and exhibitor expectations of being the ‘greatest present on the earth’. Port Canto used to indicate fewer boats, however now we’ve an excellent cut up of about 350 boats in each [in-water] areas.
I’ve labored with my group to verify folks realise that Port Canto will now be smaller energy boats, a few of them ‘dayboats’ – RIB and hard-bottom ones between six and 12 or 13m – which had been beforehand typically onerous to seek out as they had been proven in other places [within CYF]. So if persons are in search of this measurement class, it’s now going to be simpler, and water presentation will give these boats nice visibility.
Vieux Port will nonetheless present the larger megayachts.
The brand new 2,000sqm power-boat marina follows an enormous change in in-water show areas that you simply launched in 2019, when CYF divided areas for big motoryachts and crusing yachts, proper?
Sure, that one was fairly difficult. We determined to do this for a similar motive – to make discovering the kinds of boats guests wished to see simpler.
Making a separate sail space was not straightforward then, as many shipyards, particularly in France – Beneteau, Jeanneau, Fontaine Pajot, for instance, and others – construct each sail and motor boats. We needed to ask the identical firm that makes each to separate and present in two totally different areas.
We understood it was quite a bit for them to organise, however I used to be actually satisfied it was an enormous enchancment to the present and it took us three years from telling exhibitors to creating it occur by convincing and serving to them. However success was direct.
Exhibitors stated the brand new crusing space was ‘magic’ and the guests’ suggestions was nice. I count on the identical from the brand new powerboat marina this 12 months.
You’ve introduced that there shall be a brand new eating space with 130 tables within the power-boat marina in Port Canto, which seems like a very good sociable or assembly level for attendees.
I want I may have a present with extra assembly factors, eating places, music and locations to calm down however on the port there’s not a lot area, so I’ve to think about whether or not I ought to give the area to an present or new exhibitor, or save area for folks to have a drink – it’s not straightforward to determine!
The brand new energy boat area has 450m of waterfront, so I negotiated with the port to get an upper-level terrace for the restaurant. It took plenty of logistics however we managed to do it.
Is that this the place a brand new VIP lounge that’s launching this 12 months shall be too?
No, that’s in a unique area in a brand new, fashionable port authority constructing, additionally on the very best degree, so it’s going to have a terrace that appears over the entire of Port Canto. It’s for many who have VIP tickets – about 1,000 folks [of the approximately 55,000 attendees who attended in 2023].
One other new-for-2024 aspect is the Innovation Route – for these providing yachting {hardware} or providers that characterize contemporary concepts on effectivity. What number of stands shall be participating on this space?
About 40 or 50 exhibitors – from 600 participating. There’s a sure degree of innovation wanted to be chosen to participate. The business has turn into increasingly more involved with ecology, so quite a bit will concentrate on that, which can enable guests to study extra about this. Right this moment it’s nonetheless costly to be ‘much less soiled’, nevertheless it’s evolving. All types of latest expertise, together with navigation will even be on show.
How are entrance positions altering this 12 months?
We shall be getting into on the backside of the purple steps that result in the well-known Cannes Movie Pageant purple carpet. To be sincere, it was not our alternative. It’s as a result of development works which can be occurring within the buildings which can be utilized by that pageant and likewise ours.
You’ve been supporting the identical marine charity for a decade by means of CYF. Inform us about this.
Sure, the Nationwide Society for Sea Rescue (SNSM), which is made up of volunteers and saves lives at risk at sea and alongside the coast in France. We help the Cannes operation – they usually have a stand on the present. Rising up on the ocean, and seeing how they actually save folks, I’ve a lot respect for them.
About your pre-CYF working life, your first job was in a maritime workplace in 1985, what was this?
I labored for an enormous French shipyard, within the proprietor’s workplace – it was every kind of administrative work, together with finance; an amazing expertise for 10 years. I then went into hospitality, luxurious property and yacht chartering firms, in advertising and marketing. This was a very good studying expertise in some ways for this boat present – in logistics and accounting, however working this occasion wants the assistance of many different consultants.
What’s the scale of your core group, and do they work with you for a complete 12 months upfront?
It’s very small – about 4 folks. However I exploit increasingly more contractors and their groups as we get nearer to the present time. The boat present has used among the similar technical consultants and corporations for 20 years – longer than I’ve been concerned. That provides as much as 2,000 folks working onsite throughout its final weeks, however these are below their subcontractors not me and my group.
What are your plans past the 2024 present?
I wish to proceed focussing on high quality, not amount, as a result of the present may be very large already, with a really big selection of boats – from 8-50m. We might want to stabilise the brand new power-boat marina launched this 12 months. There’ll at all times be new issues, although – it’s within the blood of me and my group.
cannesyachtingfestival.com
Pictures courtesy of Cannes Yachting Pageant/Abracadabra Studio
This text was first seen on YachtStyle.co.
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