You worked with Sylvie and the team in 2025 – what were your observations about the role and stature of the show from that experience?

Prior to joining the team, I had been in the industry for 12 years, since 2014 at Groupe Beneteau, managing the brands and the marketing, including boat shows. So, I have attended the Cannes Yachting Festival for as long as I have been in the industry. It’s a great show and it’s one of the shows I most appreciated when I was managing boat shows for Bénéteau.

Working with Sylvie for the year was the perfect period for her to pass on all the tips and advice. We met all the stakeholders, the exhibitors and different players in the industry. It’s such an international show now.

I think the appeal, besides being the first European show of the year, is that it has a large selection of boats and equipment in each category so any program can be satisfied.

It’s a fantastic source of inspiration for visitors as it offers the kind of diversity you need when you don’t really know what you want to buy. You see people going from sail to sailing catamarans, or power cats. You see them going from big boats to smaller boats because they might not need the space on board anymore – and the opposite as well. Then there are the international brokers who attend, and you have the opportunity of buying big boats second-hand or booking a charter.

Then we have more and more marinas and destinations exhibiting, so any kind of exploration is possible, and Cannes provides the perfect surroundings as well, because who doesn’t like Cannes in September? There’s the amazing hotel offering, the food and the magic of the Mediterranean coast.

Last year, it was heartening to see you walking the show and meeting exhibitors. Is that an important part of your role?

Yes, that’s the basic thing to do, which is to know your clients. In this industry you have SMEs with niche products and innovative products with different needs and budgets from Ferretti Group, and for me, it is my role to convey their passion as well. They are equally passionate about their product, as passionate about the thrill that they see in the eye of the owner when they take the keys of the boats. I need to understand that to communicate it to others as well.

I also have to understand their business requirements and where they think the market is going.

If I listen to exhibitors, I can understand what kind of boat is growing in popularity, what kind of technology, and expectations from owners and boat show visitors. It is important to understand the trends from their perspective.

Over the past year, has exhibitor feedback influenced any changes or additions to the show that we will see this year?

Last year we had works going on so we had to reconsider the organisation of some areas. This year, the superyacht extension won’t exist anymore because of the different shape of the jetty. So, we have to balance the big boats on the south of the jetty and the Quai Max Laubeuf. The power catamarans that were on the Quai Max Laubeuf are going to be shifted. They will be located in the centre of the Vieux Port within the Pantiero area and feature nearly 30 catamarans between 12 and 29 metres.

This will provide great continuity for people who are looking and comparing monohulls and multihulls. This is a growing segment. We had 26 last year and this year will be more like 30, plus sailing catamarans which will take that number up to 60. And of course, the sailing cats are over the other side in Port Canto. This was a big change when Sylvie did that. It was a challenge to convince exhibitors at the time, and now they are very happy about the atmosphere in Canto because it’s an atmosphere more in the sailing spirit – a bit more laidback.

How many people are on your team?

It’s complicated to answer this question because the business model of the company covers several shows, so it’s more of a case of shared teams. I have a dedicated sales team, dedicated technical team, dedicated marketing team, and then I can borrow from the group’s digital team, legal or finance expertise and all the other fields I might need.

In 2025, CYF joined the International Federation of Boat Show Organisers. Why was that important for the show to be part of IFBSO?

It’s important to be part of a community. Even though there may be some sort of competition among shows, we still have our separate segments and common interests. So, for me it is key to share best practices and develop and maintain this community. There is a lot of crossover among exhibitors as well, so we need to have a source of solid insight as far as business, rates, innovation, new ideas are concerned.

What do you think is the role of the contemporary yacht show and the successful formula for a good boat show, a boat show that ticks all the boxes?

For me, every show has an asset. There’s a different DNA for each of the shows, so that people can take something different out of each of them. That’s the first thing.

The second is that we are here to do business. So, it’s the setting up of good conditions for the exhibitors to make business as well.

My role is to bring the right people in qualified people, international people. We have more than 60 percent international visitors, and more than 130 countries represented among exhibitors and visitors.

So, for me, this is key.

The role is as well to create the experience for good branding conditions, being able to exhibit boats and ensure people can sea trial boats – this is what they expect from us. Then you have the content. People are coming for the environment and the content of the show – this diversity that we have managed to build and to showcase, whether that is services, equipment, toys, boats, destinations or anything related to this environment. Success is to provide everything in a good mix that makes you get out of your home and come to the Cannes show!

What have been the developing trends gathering momentum over the past few years?

For quite a while now, alternative propulsion and electric engines have been on the rise, and we are giving them more space outdoors because the segment is maturing. And now that Yamaha has bought Torqeedo and these engines are becoming popular, particularly with sailing boats.

You will have read about Groupe Beneteau and Fountaine Pajot Group creating E-LEKTRA Marine with the aim of bringing electric engines onto the market with the aim of accelerating electrification in sailing, with a better entry price, because that was one of the issues as well. So, all of those alternative propulsion systems will be over at Port Canto. For the motor yachts and bigger boats, it’s about hybrid – using alternative energy for appliances such as fridges, entertainment, and air conditioning at anchor.

In terms of “sustainability”, how does CYF showcase innovation and “green initiatives”?

We have the Innovation Route again this year with a selection of exhibitors on show and there is a jury who will select finalists. There are two aspects that are quite important: these awards are here to highlight innovation and sustainability, as well attracting people to boating.

It’s about innovation that is making navigation easier and making boating more attractive – either by ease of use or sustainability. You mentioned trends, well, now there’s connectivity on board including video cameras watching the vessel or assisting with berthing, along with AI on fuel consumption and other systems, to give you advice on how to better operate the boat.

What range of goods and exhibitors will be on display in the Palais in 2026?

For the past few years, the Palais has become focused on boats, tenders, accessories, refits, destination, organisations and shipyards who don’t have boats at the show but want their branding and to meet customers. Instead of luxury goods, it’s more around boating because I think that’s what people want to see and experience, and we have to adapt to what visitors really want.

If we get too far away from boats and boating related services, it doesn’t really work long term. I mean, people are not there to buy a watch, they’re here to get inspired by the life at sea. Out in the avenues of Cannes, they can see the world’s best brands of luxury goods. Inside the Palais, like on the Ports, we don’t have too much space – it’s already full. So, it’s a matter of choosing wisely what is essential for the show.

How many boats this year and any standouts, debuts, newcomers to the show?

I know we love to talk numbers, but I don’t want to give the final figures they’re still moving. We’re on track to have the same number of boats as last year and probably even a bit more, so it will likely be around 710 boats. That’s really exciting.

When does ‘bump in’ begin?

Mid-August, a month before. It starts with the arrival of the pontoons and the tents. We have 500 pontoons arriving – about six kilometres of pontoons. This year, we are reorganising both ports, which is a logistic challenge on top of the business challenge, and the appeal challenge – we want to cover it all! And then the boats arrive three or four days before the show.

What are you most looking forward to this year?

Last year I was extremely emotional because it takes such a lot of preparation to get the show out.

And then you arrive on site and so many people have been working really hard to make it the most pleasant environment for visitors, and a good place for exhibitors to feel ease to do business and where visitors can be inspired, and have this dazzling moment where they come in and say ‘this is my new way of life’. This is what we want to convince them about as well.

It doesn’t matter the size of the boat; you can book a charter, learn to sail, dream about achieving this one day. And it’s not just about the big boats; there are so many interesting vessels. There will be something for everyone, from compact foiling sailboats to large steel explorer yachts. That’s the kind of diversity that is so interesting, for me and I hope, everyone visiting the show.

Cannes Yachting Festival: key figures

Visitors: 56,600 visitors

Yachts and boats: More than 700 boats on display, ranging from 5 to 55 metres

Countries represented: 130 countries

Exhibitors: 680 exhibitors across the Vieux Port and Port Canto

Tickets are available online

cannesyachtingfestival.com