Smashing records: A review of the 2025 Cannes Yachting Festival
After an action-packed six-day run, the 2025 Cannes Yachting Festival reported a staggering 56,000 visitors across Vieux Port and Port Canto, along with a a record-breaking number of boats on display (711), exhibitors (677) and world premieres (147).
Morale seemed high throughout the show, with Sanlorenzo CEO Massimo Perotti reporting a surge in buyer activity. "We expected a solid number of orders this year due to the energy we felt going into the show, but I must say, we did not expect [this year’s show] to go as well as it has," he told BOATPro.
CEO Massimo Perotti speaking during Sanlorenzo's annual press conference in Cannes
Credit: Sanlorenzo
The show was also rife with new innovations and product developments, with several yards highlighting ever-increasing demand for larger yacht platforms. "We now sell more 80-footers than 60-footers, with our 80 and 100 models now among our bestsellers," Francis Lapp, CEO of Sunreef Yachts said during the official launch of the Polish yard's new Ultima 55 powercat.
Azimut-Benetti chairwoman Giovanna Vitelli and Pearl Yachts founder and managing director Iain Smallridge shared similar strategies on how they plan to widen the proliferation of hybrid yachts within the smaller size segments, which happened to pair nicely with the reveal of their respective hybrid offerings.
Credit: Cannes Yachting Festival
Overall, this year's Cannes Yachting Festival signalled a strong start to the September boat show season, with a clear return of consumer confidence raising hopes for next week's Monaco Yacht Show.
"This edition [of the Cannes Yachting Festival] will remain one of the most ambitious and accomplished," said show director Sylvie Ernoult. "Faced with the current economic and geopolitical challenges, the Cannes Yachting Festival continues to support the sector and extend the scope of its excellence. The exchanges I had with exhibitors at [the] show reflect an encouraging economic situation and suggest a positive outlook."
👉 Read the full review of this year's Cannes Yachting Festival here
– Gabrielle Lazaridis, business editor