With its 48th edition from 9 to 14 September, the Cannes Yachting Festival once again demonstrated its importance for the international yachting industry. With around 600 exhibitors, 710 boats on display and 55,000 visitors, the event, which has been taking place since 1977, is one of the most important European boat shows alongside the Düsseldorf boat show. Among the so-called "inwater shows", it is by far the largest event in Europe.
The full programme
The boats on display ranged from 3 metre dinghies to mega yachts worth millions. The maritime middle class, with boats up to 15 metres in length, was represented by around 175 boats, which shows that this show is also aimed at the masses of boaters. There were a total of 147 world premieres to marvel at. The special thing about the Cannes Yacht Festival, apart from the location itself, is the opportunity to test drive the boats.
Improved visitor guidance
As in previous years, the event took place in the two adjacent harbours Port Canto (sailing boats, catamarans, small and medium-sized motorboats) and the Vieux Port (motor yachts, superyachts and equipment) directly on the famous Croisette boulevard. Visitor guidance has been improved this year and new main entrances as well as an extended water shuttle connection between the two harbours have been established.
In addition to the classic boat models, the core themes of the trade fair included innovation, sustainability, energy saving and alternative drive systems. Various boats with hybrid, electric or even purely solar drives were on display.
Pantaenius and Delius Klasing invited
The evening event organised by our magazines BOOTE, BOOTE Exclusiv and YACHT was also a premiere. In co-operation with the internationally active yacht insurer PANTAENIUS, which is also strongly represented in Cannes, the Delius Klasing publishing house hosted an "after-show reception" on Wednesday evening at the "Panoramic" restaurant in the Palais de Festival. Around 100 invited guests responded to the call of our magazines and spent an evening with sundowners in front of the breathtaking view of the sunset over the Vieux Port.
New Exhibition Director Brement
In addition to new yachts and boats, there was also a personnel change to report: Contance Brement, the former Head of Communications at the Beneteau Group, will take over the management of the Cannes Yachting Festival from next year. She succeeds Sylvie Ernault, who is taking her well-deserved retirement. Brement is known for her in-depth knowledge of the industry and her organisational skills, so we can certainly expect some interesting innovations next year.
Conclusion
All in all, the Cannes Yachting Festival 2025 confirmed its reputation not only as a showcase for luxury and design, but also as an important platform for the future of yachting. The combination of aesthetics, performance and sustainability was nowhere more pronounced than here. Although costs and requirements are rising, it seems clear that anyone who wants to be successful in the coming years must take innovation seriously - and combine ecological responsibility with entrepreneurial success.
