ANTIGUANICE YACHTING INSIDER NEWSLETTER

Photo by Richard Shead.

The 22nd annual Monaco Yacht Show took place September 19-22, 2012 and Antigua and Barbuda was represented by the Antigua and Barbuda Ship and Yacht Registry and the Antigua and Barbuda Yachting Destination booths.

The Antigua and Barbuda Yachting Destination booth located on the docks, continued to show case Antigua and Barbuda’s annual sailing events, the jurisdiction’s state of the art marinas and the overall promotion of and Antigua and Barbuda as a yachting destination.

The booth attracted much attention with its displays of photos depicting the Beauty of Antigua and Barbuda and the yachting events held in the jurisdiction.

The Antigua and Barbuda Ship and Yacht Registry booth was located in the Parvis Piscine tent with its team headed by the Hon. John Maginley Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation and Culture and Mr. Dwight Gardiner Director/Registrar General of the Maritime Administration and Registry. 

The Yacht Registry’s team comprised staff of the Antigua and Barbuda Maritime Administration, two members of Antigua’s Corporate Community who were gold sponsors of the jurisdiction’s representation in Monaco; Pricewaterhouse Coopers and Thomas John and Company along with one silver sponsor Concierge Antigua.

The team was very enthusiastic and was kept busy every day meeting people, exchanging information and outlining to the show’s attendees the competitive advantages of the Antigua and Barbuda registry.

 Mr. Gardiner in commenting on the registry’s representation at this event explained that the Monaco Yacht Show is the most prestigious yacht show in the world and a meeting place of the major stakeholders in the industry. As a result the event provided the Antigua and Barbuda Ship and Yacht Registry’s team with an ‘excellent opportunity to meet, network and introduce the registry service on an international level.’ 

Mr. Gardiner further stated that this was the second year that the Ship and Yacht Registry was being exhibited and the importance of Antigua and Barbuda’s representation in this show could not be overemphasized. Participation in this event, he informed, was part of a wider strategic marketing plan which had its foundation in the larger plan to diversify the operations of the registry. 

Mr. Gardiner is very confident that the exposure of the Ship and Yacht Registry and by extension the jurisdiction at this level, with the attendant contacts would certainly transfer into tangible benefits for the jurisdiction as a whole.

Minister Maginley was equally enthusiastic about the show and the returns to be gained by the registry’s participation.  He expressed similar sentiments to those of Mr. Gardiner commenting that Antigua and Barbuda’s presence at the Monaco Yacht Show is important for the promotion of the brand Antigua and Barbuda and more significantly, the jurisdiction’s involvement in the mega yacht and yachting industry in general.

 He supported the view that this event, by bringing together the major players industry, was one which required Antigua and Barbuda representation in order to continue to foster these critical relationships.

He also made mention of the urgent need for Antigua and Barbuda to complete the arrangements with the United States with respect to the cruising reciprocity agreements as well as finalizing the amendments to the Merchant Shipping Act, as these structures were absolutely critical for Antigua and Barbuda to continue to grow the yacht registry and compete in this very lucrative industry. 

The Minister was an integral part of the Antigua and Barbuda representation at the show, actively participating in the various meetings put on by the various stakeholders.

The Director General indicated that the Minister’s presence  and contribution at this event  were invaluable to the efforts  of the registry since it  significantly added to the visibility of the team; a clear demonstration that the synergy between the business of registration and tourism would indeed benefit Antigua and Barbuda as a whole.