Looking at the yacht market report for 2022 and beyond, the industry’s future will be home to an entirely different landscape. The global pandemic has resulted in a shift in attitudes, a host of new travel trends and a spotlight on sustainability like never before. When it comes to yachting, the industry is listening.
Yacht Market Report: the Only Way is Up
The yacht market weathered the uncertainty of the past two years and has come out stronger than ever before. This year has broken all records for yacht sales, with 545 yachts sold in the first three quarters of 2022, according to global superyacht brokerage Fraser. That’s compared to 277 yachts sold for the same period last year and is double the average number of yacht sales at this time of year since 2009.
Interest in yacht charters has also risen from first-time charterers, and we can expect to see the results of the exponential growth in green engineering and technology in the next few years.
Technological innovation is also set to enhance the luxury experience on board, with onboard technology becoming smarter, more sophisticated, and increasingly more implementable.
When it comes to the superyacht experience, various trends all centre around people wanting to travel more, spend quality time with the people they love and explore remote destinations with health and safety at the front of their minds.
It wasn’t just global lockdowns that have stimulated these yacht market trends. Global wealth grew significantly in 2020 and 2021, and according to the SYT iQ 2021 Market Report, new yacht sales also saw substantial growth worldwide. According to Wealth-X, a total of 670 additional billionaires were created in 2020 – a rise of 13%. The worldwide list of High Net Worth Individuals (defined as individuals with more than $5 million net assets) now has over 3 million members.
Here Relevance dives deeper into the biggest yacht market trends expected to emerge in 2022 and beyond.
Yacht Charter: 2022 Trends
When it came to the charter market, top superyacht brokerage houses noted a substantial increase in first-time yacht charter clients in 2020 and 2021. In fact, new charter clients made up around 40% of the luxury charter market this year.
Speaking at the Fraser conference at the Monaco Yacht Show 2021, Mark Duncan, Fraser Director of Marketing & Business Development, hopes that this demand will continue for the foreseeable future.
“Judging by the feedback, especially from those first-time charterers this year, the experience they all enjoyed together seems to have really resonated with them,” Duncan said. “Some of those charterers booked, not for one week or 10-day charters, but three weeks and, on a few occasions, more than a month – they homeschooled on board, they worked on board. They re-positioned lives to being at sea and onboard and loved it. So long may it last.”
The reasons behind these shifts over the past couple of years are clear. The yacht ownership and charter landscape changed in 2020 and 2021, largely due to the global pandemic.
With the worldwide population facing restrictions on movement unprecedented in modern times, several trends in yachting emerged – the majority of which experts agree will continue into 2022 and beyond.
When it comes to cruising behaviour, the world’s top yacht brokers and superyacht charter experts note a rise in multi-generational travel, with a surge of clients looking to spend increased quality time with loved ones.
Charter Destination Trends
In tandem with a heightened priority for family-centred and increasingly extended periods at sea, more and more yacht clients are seeking pristine natural environments to spend their time, with a rise in interest in off-the-beaten-track destinations away from the busy superyacht hotspots.
Again, the reasons behind this yacht market trend are obvious. As the weeks and then the months went by bunkered down in the same location, the advantages of a superyacht became crystal clear. A superyacht offers an isolated environment, a safe place to spend extended periods with family and friends while also allowing a sense of total freedom.
Of course, a luxury yacht has long been the epitome of freedom, but with people stuck to one location like never before, it became more of a serious option for many in the game for a superyacht experience. With the COVID-19 pandemic still very much a global issue, it is a safe bet that the superyacht charter market will continue to grow and attract new clients.
Sustainability: The Future is Green
Sustainability has been a hot topic for the past few years, though it’s clear that the need for sustainable solutions in superyachting is growing.
Environmental awareness spans every level of the superyacht experience, from owner and charter client to shipyard and broker. In response to this growing necessity, the yachting industry is responding.
Some of the most sustainable yachts in the past 10 years include Feadship’s 83-metre M/Y SAVANNAH. Delivered in 2015, M/Y SAVANNAH boasted 30% lower fuel consumption than her competitors and featured Feadship’s innovative Breathe propulsion system. Delivered in the same year was the 76.6-metre M/Y Yersin built by French shipyard Piriou. YERSIN is one of the world’s cleanest vessels, with her long list of sustainable features including emission-reducing filters on her engines to eradicate 99.8% of NOx and SOx emissions. Three years later, the 106-metre sailing yacht BLACK PEARL became the world’s first ‘zero impact’ yacht upon delivery from Oceanco in 2018, while in 2020, Nobiskrug’s 80-metre M/Y ARTEFACT features solar panels, diesel-electric propulsion system with lithium batteries, which reduces emissions by up to 30%.
And sustainable solutions are only becoming more prevalent in the future. Looking to the yacht market in 2022 and beyond, Dutch shipyard Oceanco recently commented that of the five 100+ metre superyachts currently under construction, all include trailblazing sustainable solutions, from alternative propulsion solutions and fuel sources to increased electrification and battery usage for reduced carbon emissions.
Fellow Dutch superyacht shipyard Feadship has noted similar sentiments, while Amels revealed that their latest superyacht under construction – the 120-metre Project Signature designed by Espen Oeino – will be one of the greenest and most ecological vessels out there upon delivery in 2025.
Sustainable Technology Across the Board
But sustainable futures are not just reserved for the large yacht builders. When it comes to the implementation of even newer sustainable superyacht technology, smaller brands like Hynova in France are also paving the way.
With the first models set to hit the water in the near future, Hynova aims to launch the very first brand of boats featuring electro-hydrogen propulsion. Sunreef Yachts, the renowned luxury catamaran builder, unveiled the 100 Eco Catamaran in summer 2021, while the Italian yacht builder Fabiani Yachts revealed their new hybrid yacht range at the Cannes Yachting Festival 2021.
The new Fabiana Yachts Hybrid models range from 21 to 30-metres and feature solar panels intelligently integrated into the structure of the boat – the latter a feature seen in more yacht designs and future concepts. From 80+ metre superyachts to 21-metre day boats and everything in between, it’s clear that when it comes to the future of the industry, the yacht market is on the path to going green.
Yacht Market: Luxury Technology
It’s not only engineering and propulsion that is facing significant innovation on board the superyachts of the future. Onboard technology is also being paid more attention than ever before – from an increase in demand for yacht toys and tenders that offer unique experiences, such as personal submarines and hydrofoil tenders, to smart technology products that enhance the everyday experience of life on board.
One brand to look out for is YachtCloud, creators of luxury technology catered to the seven-star environments of superyachts. GEST, their service call device, is a fantastic example of the progression of technology, and how that technology enhances the experience onboard. Custom programmed to fit each client’s specific needs and wishes, GEST service call devices also feature a bespoke premium design, meaning that they fit seamlessly into the prestigious environments they are surrounded by.
Relevance Yacht is a dedicated yacht marketing agency that works with international yachting clients across the full digital marketing ecosystem. Our team of yacht marketing specialists help clients reach their target audiences via data-led, hyper-targeted campaigns that drive positive action. For more information on how we can upgrade your marketing strategy, get in touch with our yachting experts today.