Antigua and Barbuda Represented at Monaco Yacht Show

Details

Tourism News

Thursday, 27 September 2012 02:30

By press release

Antigua St. John’s - The country’s Ship and Yacht Registry and Yachting Destination booths at the 22nd annual Monaco Yacht Show held September 19 to 22.

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

The booth attracted much attention with its displays of photos depicting the island’s beauty and the yachting events held in the jurisdiction.

On the other hand, the Antigua & Barbuda Ship and Yacht Registry booth was located in the Parvis Piscine tent and in attendance were Hon. John Maginley, Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation & Culture and Mr. Dwight Gardiner, Director/Registrar General of the Maritime Administration and Registry.

The Yacht Registry’s team comprised staff of the Antigua & Barbuda Maritime Administration and 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 each day meeting people, exchanging information and outlining the competitive advantages of the Antigua & Barbuda registry to the show’s attendees.

Commenting on the registry’s representation at this event, Mr Gardiner 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. The event, he said, provided the Antigua & 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 added that this was the second year that the Ship and Yacht Registry was being exhibited and the importance of the country’s representation in this show could not be overemphasised. Participation in this event, he said, 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 in that the destination’s presence at the Monaco Yacht Show is important for the promotion of the brand Antigua & 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 in the industry, was one which required Antigua & Barbuda representation in order to continue to foster these critical relationships.

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

The minister was an integral part of Antigua & Barbuda representation at the show, and actively participated in the various meetings put on by the 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 benefit Antigua & Barbuda as a whole.

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