When we first conceived the idea of a Pacific Forum, the inevitable question was ‘where?’ After all, there’s no shortage of choice when it comes to interesting places peppering the Pacific Ocean’s many coastlines.

This was January 2019, and we were on the hunt for a location that encapsulated the obvious allure of Pacific cruising while also highlighting its profile as a nascent ‘market’ in yachting terms. Our reconnaissance trip took us to the Pacific Northwest, both in America and then across the border to Canada. Our base for the latter was Victoria, British Columbia and despite visiting during the city’s worst snowstorm since records began, it was immediately clear that this is a very special part of the world and one that lends itself to everything the superyacht industry stands for – the zenith of luxury experiences.

After a week touring this incredible place, while touching only a fraction of its 27,000 miles of coastline leading all the way to Alaska, it was clear that British Columbia offered the perfect balance of untapped potential and stunning beauty to make it the perfect destination for a strategic event of top industry stakeholders to discuss the route to the growth of this exciting but developing market.

Fast-forward almost three years, and following the most disruptive period in recent human history, it’s both a relief and a pleasure to be able to confirm that The Superyacht Forum Live – Pacific Tour will take place from 15 to 17 June 2022 in Victoria. This three-day event will bring together around 100 industry ‘change-makers’ from around the world for what we believe will be the ‘Davos of superyachting’.

Kitty McGowan, president of the US Superyacht Association, was quoted in a previous report with a succinct summary of what this region has to offer our industry: “When I review all the resources the Pacific Northwest has to offer the superyachting industry, from yacht building right through to world-class owner experiences, it’s often met with disbelief. There is a vast potential for growth that many in the industry have yet to fully experience.”

So herein lies the main objective of this forum: the broadening of the industry’s geographical scope can only serve to bolster our collective prosperity.

By encouraging the growth of new regional hubs, the infrastructure/support and service networks develop and trigger the establishment of new cruising grounds, which in turn bring the yachting experience to a new pool of potential clients and, ultimately, serve to contribute to our market’s growth.

Commenting in the same report, Craig Norris, CEO of Victoria International Marina, explained why the Pacific Northwest is an area of interest, not just for regional stakeholders, but also for their international counterparts: “With an expanding, massive accumulation of private wealth on the Pacific Coast, established supply chains, a foundational service network and growing consumer demand for our new type of yachting experience, it is certainly time to seriously consider finding your place here.”

Norris’s statement is prescient and underlines precisely what the Pacific leg of The Superyacht Forum Live Tour aims to achieve: delivering a platform for regional stakeholders to engage with interested parties from further afield to define exactly what the roadmap to market growth looks like.

This area of Pacific coastline is just one example of a nascent market with proximity to huge ultra-wealth client pools but still to realise its full yachting potential; there are numerous others around the world, all with their own unique opportunities, as well as challenges.

However, this particular area is arguably one of the most intriguing because of its proximity to ‘tech wealth’ and, therefore, a new, younger generation of potential owners and charterers. What the Pacific Northwest needs now for the next step in its market development is a collaborative dialogue with established industry stakeholders so that the missing ingredients, in terms of client education and subsequent support and services, can be identified.

And that is, in essence, what the modus operandi of this exciting three-day event will be. The Superyacht Forum Live – Pacific Tour will deliver three days of strategic road mapping. Martin Redmayne, our chairman, explains: “Our objective and mission is to create an event and bring together the industry’s most innovative and powerful people for a strategic brainstorm on how to change our industry for the future.

“We want to create a three-day experience and brainstorm that is not just about talking and sharing ideas, but also mapping out the future of our industry. We will actively evaluate and analyse ownership models, next-generation ideas and real, inspirational innovations that will make the superyacht industry exciting and challenging for the future.”

The Superyacht Forum Live - Pacific Tour (15-17th June 2022) is an invitation-only event. However, if you would like to register your interest, please contact events@thesuperyachtgroup.com 

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