Croatia Yacht Show: Putting the Dalmatian coast on the superyacht charter map and celebrating the Adriatic

After three days of action, the inaugural Croatia Yacht Show wrapped up on 3 October in the city of Zadar. The event was held at Zadar's new cruise port and spotlighted the infrastructure which can accommodate visitors arriving by road, air or sea. Despite the blustery weather and outbursts of rain, guests were certainly not deterred from visiting the Dalmatian city and the show was buzzing with life – celebrating small, community businesses and helping to put Croatia on the map as a superyacht and charter destination.

The show attracted a lineup of 30 charter superyachts up to 65 metres with over 3,000 visitors, drawing more than 200 charter brokers from 30 countries. The show welcomed a mix of local central agents, those managing yachts in the Adriatic and individual owners, all of whom could showcase their services to the charter industry.

In addition to the yachts and representatives, there were a variety of vendors – including yacht tenders, water toys, accessories and service providers. Bentley also created a stir with the premiere of its Bentley Continental GT, while the transfer corner welcomed luxury vehicles from Auto Sport Adria and Luxe Rent Zagreb. Completing the luxury motor setup was a helicopter from Heli Croatia, which was located just in front of the show's flagship, Feadship's 65.2-metre yachtTrident.

The Opening Ceremony kicked off on 1 October with a welcome speech from the show's organiser and YachtMaster CEO Tino Prosenik. Attendees were then invited to make appointments with central agents and schedule yacht viewings via the YachtFyre app. With around 30 yachts on display up to 65 metres, the event attracted B2B and B2C participants who moved between the charter yachts on display and the various exhibitor stands.

In the early evening, attendees had the opportunity to watch a nautical fashion show against the backdrop of Trident and the luxury motor cars. Croatian designers presented collections of crew uniforms and resortwear centred around a yachting lifestyle, with the runway seeing collections from Krie Design, Ana Maria Ricov and Jet Lag. The nautical theme was enhanced by sustainable elements, whereby discarded fishing nets had been repurposed into clothing and bags.

The lively atmosphere continued with a sunset party, where attendees could network, enjoy cocktails, and soak in the atmosphere.

The charter show also celebrated the region's local cuisines through the Croatian Fusion Chef's Competition, where the theme was "Mediterranean with a Croatian twist". Attendees could witness participating yachts' top chefs blend traditional flavours with innovative techniques across a starter, main and dessert. The main course was a particular highlight, where cherries were to be incorporated to highlight the produce of the Zadar region.

Michelin Star Chef Marijo Curić, who honed his skills alongside some of the world's best chefs and now represents some of Dubrovnik and Croatia's signature dishes and ingredients, was one of the judges.  Curić is currently head chef at Restaurant 360 in Dubrovnik and his expertise on the judging panel was complemented by that of Chef Ivana Čuljak, who is known for her unique cake designs and stunning desserts. Chef David Skoko, the renowned Croatian chef and sustainable seafood expert behind his family-run restaurant Batelina, completed the trio of judges.

Chef Ben Bailey from the 27.4-metre Sanlorenzo SD90 yacht Akira emerged victorious with a cherry-inspired Croatian dish. Bailey is now set to join the committee for next year's event.

With the yacht viewings and meetings wrapped up for the day, attendees could visit some of the boat parties that went late into the night. Horizon's 35-metre Conte Stefani dropped down its passerelle and welcomed guests on board for a sunset party, pulling out all the stops with a photo booth, DJ set, saxophonist, drinks and canapés. 

The final day offered further opportunities for networking and yacht tours before the show concluded and yachts started departing – many of which were en route to refit facilities for their winter maintenance period. 

Captain Franko Dragojevic of the 29.9-metre Riva yacht Nikita said: "This is the first year the show has been in Croatia. I think it's a very good step in the right direction to show that in Croatia there are [not only] good yachts and crews, but [also there is] the nature we can show to our clients and guests. It is a very positive experience."

Speaking of the show's debut in Croatian waters, Tino Prosenik, CEO of Yachtmaster Group, said: "The mission of the show has been achieved: to present to the charter professionals of the world that Croatia can bring it. Croatian charter yachts as well as all needed services presented are competitive on the world charter market."

As the first superyacht show organised by the Yachtmaster Group, the Croatia Yacht Show did well to promote the country's growing charter market and superyacht destination.