The battle between the two Caribbean yacht charter shows gets more bizarre every year. The Antigua Yacht Charter Meeting (5th-10th December 2007) continues to face challenges from the MYBA St. Maarten Charter Show (3rd-7th December 2007). Now that the MYBA, a worldwide yachting trade organisation representing 50 major brokerages, has taken control of the St. Maarten show the gloves are off. Brokers, owners, skippers and crew are forced to choose between the two. While yachts can’t practically go to both brokers are reluctant to support both shows due to travel and expense difficulties. There are a lot of views around on this devisive subject. Here are some. Please add your comments to the debate.

Did Antigua and Barbuda Customs and Immigration have anything to do with the switching of support? Here is an extract from the Chairman of Synco/ The Yacht Report: “….the biggest event issue follows in December with the bizarre mix of Charter shows in both St Maarten and Antigua, I have tried to get to the bottom of the decision as to why MYBA have moved their support from Antigua to St Maarten and all I hear is that one senior broker wound up behind bars last year, due to a customs mix up in Antigua and as a result has decided to black ball the island. I have e.mailed the parties concerned and hope to bring more information soon. The Antigua Charter Show is one of those superb end of year gatherings that anyone and everyone loved as a finale to the year’s hectic activity. It was fun, relaxed and a precursor to the holiday season, it was also the platform to deliver another Superyacht Cup immediately following the show. The lack of support from MYBA leaves a potential gap in the structure of the Antiguan event and we will wait to see the outcome, but suffice to say, we are aware that there are some who will vent their anger.”

Read the complete forum posting- Event Your Anger.

Meanwhile The Triton Megayacht News have entered the fray with comments on postings found at the MYBA chat room after the announcement. Here follows some brief comments.

If MYBA wants to become global and have a stronger presence, particularly in the United States, then it needs a Caribbean boat show. The Antigua show is well-established and would be expensive to buy. So buy cheaply the second-player in the market, organize it as well as the Genoa show, and make it better than Antigua. Seems a good strategy to me.

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I feel very uncomfortable with this whole situation. Is it a money-thing? Is it a power-thing? I don’t know. What I do know is that we brokers must visit as many yachts as possible to do a good job. Right now, I have the feeling that people want us to choose a camp, and this is exactly what should not happen in the yachting industry.

We have attended both shows since the St. Maarten Show started and each year Antigua has been far more productive for us. Playing these games will just make the decision easier. All our brokers will go to Antigua.

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Takes me back to the days of Nice Superyacht versus Monaco Yacht Show. MYBA backed Monaco; Nice died. This St. Maarten versus Antigua looks a similar scenario. The members want Antigua, whilst the board wants St. Maarten.

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Do not change SXM dates; go head to head. Many of us who embrace free enterprise and capitalism recognize successful businesses need to aggressively attack the marketplace.

We can only support the SXM show if dates are changed. Antigua is of far more value and we are 100 percent committed to attend Antigua for the entire show.

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I’m a member of the boat show committee and was as astounded as all of you when I received the press release. I had no idea.

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Let the chips fall where they may on the announced conflicting dates.

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As a charter manager, our owners look to us for guidance on which show to participate in. Now that we have pushed hard for Antigua, we could easily have egg on our faces … if St. Maarten becomes the venue of choice.

I agree that, in principle, we all wanted one show, but the show we all supported since the inception of the SXM show was Antigua. MYBA was not able to negotiate a 51 percent ownership in that show and, evidenced by [MYBA President] Michael White’s posting, MYBA is still smarting from that. [Visit www.the-triton.com to read the memo to members.]

With all due respect to the board, if you were the one having to run to both venues in terms of time, money, etc., you might feel differently. … On another point, not answered by this posting, how could the board proceed without a consensus vote by the membership? I don’t understand this at all. How can this happen?

The End.

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