Abu Dhabi Yacht Show aims for the elite

9:32 AM Mon 9 Feb 2009 GMT

'ADNEC marina concept for Abu Dhabi, the world's richest city.' .

The Show must go on, despite the global financial climate. The Abu Dhabi Yacht Show is set to be one of the world's most exclusive and luxurious Super Yachting event, featuring some outstanding power and sailing super yachts ranging from 30m to 100m in a prestigious exhibition and marina facility located at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (ADNEC), 12-14 March.

An exceptional range of these yachts will be on show, featuring the finest products and latest trends.

The Abu Dhabi Yacht Show (ADYS) is organised by Informa Yacht Group, who are the global leader in yachting events management, proud owner of the prestigious Monaco Yacht Show and exclusive Superyacht Cup Series.

Despite the looming financial crisis that has the entire world braced for the worst, the uber-elite end of the yachting industry that manufactures super yachts (motor yachts over 30 meters long) is showing little signs of slowing down. A Super-yachting Index compiled by The Luxury Institute with yacht broker and charter company Camper & Nicholson's International, found that new orders for yachts over 40 meters were up nearly 20 percent in 2008 in the first two quarters - and many companies report that orders are still steadily spilling in, with build slots at most major shipbuilders full.

ADNEC, the venue for the Abu Dhabi Boat Show International. - Jeni Bone

More proof that the large yacht industry is going strong is 2009's upcoming 'invitation only' Abu Dhabi Yacht Show which was sold out five months before the event. Rivaling the annual Monaco Yacht Show in terms of A-list invitees and top-tier exhibitors, the super and mega yacht show is the first of its kind, and may in large part attribute its eager exhibitor participation to the UAE's rapidly developing marine industry.

Many of the upcoming exclusive developments - Yas Marina (surrounded by the upcoming Formula One racetrack) located at Yas Island, Abu Dhabi and the Palm Jumeirah Mega Yacht Marina in Dubai are designed to cater to super and mega yachts and the super luxurious lifestyle that accompanies them.

Nestled in a gentle curve of the Arabian Gulf, Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates, is the powerhouse of the Middle East.

The wealth of Abu Dhabi is breathtaking. It is the wealthiest of the UAE's seven-state federation, and rests on one tenth of the world's oil riches: it contributes to a national GDP of US$ 158 billion. In a city with the highest GDP in the world, live 420,000 citizens with a per capita net worth of US$17 million.

The vision of its rulers has ensured that its wealth has been wisely spent, and the development of the UAE in a few short years has been miraculous. Waterfront development in the Gulf is booming, and the volume of development investment in Abu Dhabi alone will reach US$ 150 billion over the next five years.

The 30 billion dollar Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi, and The Palm Jumeirah and the World Islands in Dubai are internationally famous examples of a vision becoming reality. Abu Dhabi harmoniously fuses the best of traditional and modern, creating a cultural oasis in the desert, as the new home of the Louvre and Guggenheim museums.

Business and tourism are thriving- the Middle East is the fastest-growing tourist destination in the world. Abu Dhabi remains a truly beautiful destination, where over 200 islands dot the cobalt waters of the Gulf and an elegant corniche provides a border between city and sea.

The US$ 3 billion Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi has become recognised as a byword for luxury, and the city is set to be the new home of Formula 1 Grand Prix.

Abu Dhabi's sister city, Dubai, just an hour's drive away, is famous for the Burj Al Arab, the world's only seven-star hotel, and for the most prestigious and opulent horse racing event in the world: the Dubai World Cup.
This wealth, its sunny waterfront, and its proud seafaring culture make it an ideal backdrop to host one of the world's premier yachting events, The Abu Dhabi Yacht Show.

More at www.abudhabiyachtshow.com/2/

by Jeni Bone

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