Monaco Yacht Show 2025: Is the Price of Presence Worth Paying?
- Jannie Lassen
- Sep 9
- 3 min read
In just two short weeks, the Monaco Yacht Show will once again draw the superyacht world to Port Hercule. The docks will be filled with new launches, the terraces and hotels will hum with meetings and parties, and every corner of the Principality will feel like an extension of the show. But, we’re hearing the same question repeated across the industry: is it still worth the cost of exhibiting?
This year, a growing number of smaller companies—and even shipyards as significant as Heesen and Feadship—are opting out of the official exhibition. Their absence points to a shift in how businesses are approaching the Monaco show, and the broader question of how best to invest in visibility.
The True Cost of Visibility
Exhibiting in Monaco is not a casual decision. By the time a company has secured floor space, designed and built a stand, arranged logistics, and staffed the event, the total bill can easily run into six figures. For shipyards, that number climbs even higher. But even for companies simply attending without a stand, the costs are substantial. Tickets to the show, last-minute flights into Nice, and Monaco’s notoriously expensive accommodation all add up quickly. Layer on the essential hospitality—whether entertaining clients at restaurants, hosting cocktails, or joining industry events—and the financial outlay can be significant. As consultants, we see this as a brand positioning exercise as much as a sales one—MYS is rarely where the contracts are signed. The real value lies in perception, presence, and access.
Lounges, Hotels, and the “Perimeter Effect”
It’s no coincidence that more firms are setting up private lounges or booking suites in nearby hotels instead of investing in exhibition space. These venues provide more control, privacy, and often a better setting for serious conversations. Increasingly, the real business of MYS happens outside the ticketed show. For many, the Principality itself has become the stage, and the docks are simply one part of it.
Why FOMO Still Matters
From our perspective as project managers and consultants, the Monaco Yacht Show remains unique in one respect: it is the only point in the year when the entire superyacht ecosystem is physically in one place. Owners, shipyards, suppliers, brokers, designers, financiers, and media all overlap in Monaco, and that concentration has value in itself. While structured meetings can take place elsewhere, the incidental conversations, introductions, and unexpected opportunities are harder to replicate outside this setting. Whether a company chooses to exhibit, host meetings nearby, or simply walk the docks, we believe that presence in some form still carries weight. Absence, on the other hand, tends to be noticed.
The Dual Nature of the Show
From three decades of experience in the superyacht industry, it’s clear that the Monaco Yacht Show occupies a unique space between two worlds. On one hand, it is a showcase for owners and prospective clients; on the other, it functions as a hub for industry professionals to meet, network, and do business. Over the years, we have observed that this dual character can make the event feel complex—companies are often navigating both audiences simultaneously, and the mix of B2C and B2B activity is one of the show’s defining features.
A 360-Degree Ecosystem?
In theory, Monaco is where the full spectrum of the industry converges. In practice, the ecosystem is becoming more diffuse. With companies spreading between docks, lounges, hotels, and private venues, the show is less about a single location and more about the Principality as a whole. For us, that means business is still possible across the entire 360-degree ecosystem—but only with a clear plan.
Our Take
At Miller Marine, we see the Monaco show as indispensable part of the yachting calendar—but not in the same way for every business. For some, a presence on the docks is vital to brand identity. For others, leveraging the energy of the show without the expense of a stand is the smarter move. What matters most is strategy: knowing who you want to meet, how you want to be seen, and where you can make the strongest impact. Monaco provides the stage—it’s up to each company to decide how best to step onto it.
Comments