Abu Dhabi Yacht Show exhibitor numbers up

The event - due to take place from March 12-14, 2009 - will be the region's first super and mega yachts show. It will introduce a new leisure 'Super' yacht concept to the rapidly developing luxury yacht market in the Gulf Coast and is expected to attract up to 5000 visitors.

Despite the global slowdown, recent studies reveals that the GCC's marine industry is exhibiting a growth trend with more than 30,000 leisure boats registered in the region and around Dhs1.96 trillion ($536bn) of marine works and projects planned or underway - with Kuwait's and the UAE's marine industries regarded as the largest in the Gulf region.

According to the latest figures from the Kuwait government, there are now over 18,000-registered leisure boats in Kuwait alone. A recent study also found out that approximately one third of the world's 100 largest yachts were owned by Arab nationals with the world's top five located in Dubai, Oman, Saudi, and Egypt.

The rising popularity of sailing, the growth of the leisure marine lifestyle, and the emergence and rapid growth of marina-style real estate in the region were behind the increasing demand of leisure boats of all sizes. There are more than 30 waterfront projects and resorts in the GCC region, and more than seven marinas and boat clubs in the UAE alone.

"With so much investment going into marinas, residential developments and boating infrastructure, the Middle East is poised to become the international hub for marine business,"

said Franck Dailles, Group Director of ADYS.

"We are very pleased to have secured bookings from some of the best known brands in the super yacht industry, such as Wesport, Benetti, Burger, Trinity, Ferretti, Palmer Johnson, Edmiston, Burgess, Abu Dhabi Mar, Wally, CRN, Greenline, Rodriguez and many more and I am very confident that ADYS is set to become one of the world's most exclusive and luxurious super yacht events."

The ADYS will be held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec) and its 2.4-kilometer marina. The marina is being constructed in a channel adjacent to Adnec and is comprised of a 350-meter quay wall for stern moorings that is capable of berthing at least 30 super yachts of 30 meters or more in length. The marina zone is part of the final phase of Adnec's $2.3bn Capital Center business and residential micro-city development which will have restaurants, shops, entertainment facilities and low-rise, sea-view marina homes.

The ADYS will also feature a number of special events and activities to create unique networking and meeting opportunities throughout the ADYS such as the Abu Dhabi Yacht Show Golf Tournament, Business Conferences, a Cocktail Party, Yacht Fashion Show at the Emirates Palace, as well as a Charity Auction Gala Dinner.

Headline Sponsor of Abu Dhabi Yacht Show is Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA). Associate Sponsors include Aldar Properties and Horus Watches. Financial Times is the International Newspaper Partner and Al Arabia is Regional Broadcast Company.