The 2020 Monaco Yacht Show has been cancelled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
According to Informa, who organise the show, the 30th edition of the Monaco Yacht Show will be postponed until next year due to the disruption caused by Covid-19.
In an official statement, Informa said, _“_With much of the superyacht fleet currently located in the US and Caribbean and the normal calendar of activity severely disrupted, it has been agreed that it is in the industry’s best interests to postpone the delivery of a top quality, prestige experience 30th edition of the Monaco Yacht Show next year, in September 2021, rather than September 2020."
However, show organisers have confirmed that the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show is still set to go ahead in late October 2020 with over 900 boats expected to attend the show, including 100 superyachts.
In an exclusive live interview with BOAT International, managing director of the Monaco Yacht Show, Gaëlle Tallarida, said she respected the decision of clients who did not wish to attend. "Our clients explained to us that they were not comfortable attending the show, which welcomes a large community from worldwide".
"Monaco as a country is now quite safe because the pandemic has been well managed by the authorities... but I appreciate the fact that during the show there are more people, all together, and despite all the measures that could be taken, the exhibitors and clients don't feel comfortable to attend", she added.
Chief executive of Informa, Charlie McCurdy, said, “We are focusing our efforts in the latter part of the year on delivering a strong platform to showcase the industry at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show in late October, with the Monaco Yacht Show now set to return in style in September 2021, when it will celebrate its 30th Anniversary.”
The news comes after the world's leading superyacht builders and brokers announced their withdrawal from the 2020 Monaco Yacht Show and called on Informa to cancel this year's edition in response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Informa had previously announced this year's edition of the Monaco Yacht Show would be continuing as a not-for-profit initiative.