The 32nd MARMARIS Yacht Show was held in the picturesque harbor of Marmaris, in the Turkish coasts, from the 12th until the 16th of May, with the participation of 50 charter yachts and 125 charter brokers from Turkey and various countries.
The Yacht Show started with an atmospheric cocktail party on the public port’s waterfront, where the impressive yachts were docked. The night continued with a very successful party on board the luxury Motor Sailer “Perla del Mare”, where guests enjoyed the delicacies served and danced on the d.j.’s rythms. From day one, all participants enjoyed the Turkish hospitality which made them feel like home.
The warm atmosphere lasted during the whole exhibition, which was enriched with parties and an interesting “degustation” evening, where brokers had the chance to taste the various creations of the yachts’ chefs. This event was one of the most enjoyable of the show and was hosted at the El Divino bar restaurant, probably the most stylish place in Marmaris, located at the private Netsel Marina.
It is worth mentioning that El Divino’s owner is a charming Greek lady, from the neighboring Greek island of Rodos (Rhodes) who lives permanently in Marmaris with her Turk husband who is also adorable. El Divino, which was one of the show’s sponsors, hosted also the “Farewell Party”, where we also had a great time.
As expected, the Turkish gulets prevailed in the MARMARIS Yacht Show, as they prevail all over Turkey. However, newly built Turkish gulets are not as they used to be. Turkish shipyards have come a long way lately and compete the famous European and American shipyards. Many new gulets now have contemporary design and luxury. By offering more guest cabins than equivalent motor yachts, large spaces and reasonable charter rates, they are a very competitive option for those who want to sail through the Turkish coasts.
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It has to be mentioned however, that many of those eye-catching yachts had an inferior quality of materials and finishing, compared to the well respected European or American yards. Additionally, some of the quite new yachts (i.e. 4-5 years old) resembled to much older ones, in terms of condition and maintenance. On the top of that, many of the luxury gulets were decorated with “oriental-style” accessories, which would probably disappoint some eclectic customers.
We also have to point that we observed large variations among the yachts’ settings and their crews, which consist mainly by Turks. Despite the fact that Turkish crews are usually very helpful and hospitable, many yachts did not reflect the professionalism that we usually meet in other international Yacht Shows. This was enhanced by the fact that many yacht owners were staying on their yachts along with their families and were using their facilities during the viewings.
As expected, Motor Yachts presence was insignificant during the show. Most of them were quite old, except two or three which were interesting, such as the brand new VICEM which despite being built in Turkey, she has a Greek Captain, a Greek chef and a Greek Central Agent.
Due to the above reasons it is recommended to anyone who wishes to charter a yacht from Turkey, to refer to a reliable charter agent, who has inspected the yachts and their crew and would be able to convey the real picture to the customer. With the advice of the right charter agent, there is no doubt that “gulet lovers” will find in Turkey the ideal gulet for their budget and taste.
By the All4yachting.com Team