A month after the Superyacht Summit Adria 2024 concluded, we still share experiences and impressions. If you didn’t have the chance to attend, here’s an opportunity to find out how it went at this premiere event, on April 18th in Split.
April this year on the Adriatic did not boast the best weather conditions, but that didn’t stop the nautical industry from flourishing with events. There were so many that careful planning was required to attend them all. I chose to participate in the Superyacht Summit Adria, held for the first time in Split. The organizers were the same team that successfully organized the Superyacht Summit Turkey last year in Turkey.
The event lasted from early morning until late at night. It was structured with eight half-hour presentations, which served more as introductions to discussions and reflections rather than in-depth analyses of topics. Given the large number of attendees from different sectors of the yachting industry and the short attention spans we have today, this format proved to be a great success.
The coffee and lunch breaks, as well as the evening event, stood out particularly. The number of participants was optimal for quality networking, which is often challenging at larger events. Here, there were enough people to make every break an opportunity to talk with a few interesting individuals. Most participants were from Split and the surrounding area, followed by other parts of Croatia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Serbia, Turkey, Italy, and a few other countries.
The event was opened by Darko Šupuk from Yachts Croatia, with a presentation on the numbers related to superyachts in the region. Although there is no official data on the number of yachts in this area, he focused on the Croatian and Montenegrin coastlines, also mentioning the potential of Albania.
Two presentations were particularly interesting. The first was by Dan Lenard from Nuvolari Lenard, titled “Step-by-Step Yacht Design from Concept to Completion”. With just a few blank papers and some markers, Dan masterfully walked us through the history of exterior yacht design. His sketches were later sold at a charity auction, with the proceeds donated to a local NGO from Split dedicated to the preservation of the sea and coast.
The second particularly interesting presentation was by Rezida Ross, titled “Why Mini Cruise Ships Are the Next Big Thing in Travel”. Rezida highlighted mini cruise ships, which allow for the celebration of important dates on the water, unlike superyachts that accommodate a small number of guests. Mini cruise ships, with a capacity of 50 to 100 cabins, offer five-star hotel luxury at much more affordable prices.
The mini cruise market is particularly dear to me because in 2020, together with the Vahali shipyard, we developed the Vahali X river cruise concept, which promotes the mini cruise trend with numerous shared amenities. I hope to see that project on the water soon.
The event concluded with a dinner at the Makarun restaurant in the center of Split, organized by Yacht Croatia. The evening was filled with good entertainment and continued until late at night.
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this event. My expectations were met, but I would love to see more attendees in decision-making positions next year, as well as more speakers from our region. I am sure many have a lot to share.
If you are a fan of the nautical industry, this is an event you don’t want to miss next year. See you in Split!