Now in its eighth edition, the Mediterranean Yacht Show (MEDYS) welcomed a record fleet of charter yachts to Nafplio, in Greece’s Argolic Gulf. Hosted by the Greek Yachting Association (GYA), the five-day charter show proved the “most successful show” to date with 92 yachts with a combined LOA of 3.5 kilometres and more than 750 visitors from 31 countries in attendance.
Marking the start of the Mediterranean season, before each of the attending yachts embark on their busy charter seasons around Greece and the wider Mediterranean, there was a sublime assortment of vessels on display including the 45-metre, Bella Stella, 73.5-metre Lady Vera and 85-metre O’Ptasia.
The president of the GYA, Michael Skoulikidis explained that the yacht now has a waitlist for those looking to attend. “The last three shows (2019, 2022 and this year) have been very good and in full capacity,” he explained. “In these three years we had a waiting list; and this year there was a waiting list of 30 yachts over 24 metres.”
Open to yachts chartering in Greek waters, there were a wide range of exhibiting brokers including IYC, Burgess, Atalanta Golden Yachts, Camper and Nicholsons and Parsifal Yachting.
Former captain, Guy Mannering, who is now a charter broker at Cecil Wright, speaks of his positive experience after his first visit to MEDYS “I managed to inspect the majority of 40-metre plus vessels at the show; the captains and crew were extremely welcoming, and it set a great example of the Greek charter fleet.”
The show also had a strong line-up of exhibitors, showcasing everything from provisions and soft furnishings to insurance and superyacht toys.
A core component of the show is the social calendar, which over the course of the five days was brimming with events such as the cocktail party for women in yachting hosted by Atalanta Golden Yachts on board O’Eva, the White Thing Party hosted by Istion Yachting and a Casablanca cinema night hosted by IYC Greece on board Arktos.
The BOAT International Captain’s Club also held an event during the show with a breakfast in collaboration with GYA, that saw several attending captains at MEDYS catch up over coffee before the fourth day of the show commenced.
At the very heart of MEDYS, however, was classic Greek hospitality, that extended throughout event.
The eighth edition of MEDYS, also saw the return of the chef’s competition, under the theme, Zero Waste from the Greek Seas. On the judging panel were two chefs each with two-Michelin stars, George Papazacharias, of Delta Restaurant in Athens, and Antonio Mellino, of Ristorante Quattro Passi in Nerano, as well as brokers, Anzela Zurlo and Bobby Bigio.
After two days of rigorous testing, the judges confirmed that the winners of the 2023 chef’s competition, having demonstrated a remarkable level of innovation, skill and execution of the theme was chef Emmanouil Perros of Zen taking first prize in Category A, and Tatiana Konstantinidi of Hakuna Matata awarded first prize in Category A Platinum.
With a focus on the Greek yachting fleet, the superyacht market appears as strong as ever, with several announcements throughout the show confirming this. One of the announcements from Camper & Nicholson’s, held on board Jo I, sees the brokerage house open a new Athens office in a joint venture with the Fais Group, specialising in retail, hospitality, real estate development and yachting in Greece.
During the announcement, the brokerage firm expressed that the move is "aimed at enhancing the services in one of the most important markets in the Mediterranean."
After five days of activity, the show was closed with the ceremonial sounding of the horns filling Nafplio with the resounding blare. The GYA president, Skoulikidis stated "Having watched MEDYS grow from a regional show to its current world-class status, I can confidently say that we are sailing into a new era.
“Our record-breaking success in 2023 has set the bar even higher for the future, but we are not resting on our laurels – our team is already hard at work, preparing for an even more spectacular event in the coming years,” adds Skoulikidis. “So, fair winds and following seas, and we look forward to welcoming you aboard for another unforgettable journey".