Despite its best efforts to push ahead, organisers have been forced to cancel this year’s Monaco Yacht Show, the most prestigious event on the global yachting calendar.
For months now, MYS organiser Informa Markets has been in discussions with stakeholders and partners involved with the Monaco Yacht Show, particularly the Monaco government, to determine if a low-density, not-for-profit, support event in the Principality would be possible this year.
Along the way, Informa had remained confident the event would go ahead if it could comply with the strict hygiene requirements set out by the government of Monaco in light of the Covid-19 crisis.
But on Friday, the organiser was forced to concede there were too many factors in play for it to continue.
“With much of the superyacht fleet currently located in the US and Caribbean and the normal calendar of activity severely disrupted, it has been agreed that it is in the industry’s best interests to postpone the delivery of a top quality, prestige experience 30th edition of the Monaco Yacht Show next year, in September 2021, rather than September 2020,” said Informa Markets in a statement.
In a normal year, the Monaco Yacht Show would attract more than 125 extraordinary one-off superyachts, around 40 of which are unveiled for the first time. For four days a year, everyone in the yachting industry turns their attention to the MYS.
Now, that attention will be diverted to the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, scheduled to take place this year in late October.
“Like many other industries, the international super yachting community has experienced significant disruption in 2020,” said Charlie McCurdy, Chief Executive of Informa Markets. “As we move to the other side of Covid-19, we are remaining agile in how we are supporting our partners and customers, flexing our events calendar, adapting products and providing digital alternatives where beneficial to best meet the needs of international communities through this difficult period.”
The Monaco Yacht Show is now set to return in September 2021, when it will celebrate its 30th anniversary.
 
Photo: Monaco Yacht Show 2019, copyright McClic