The yachting industry will descend on Cannes this week to take part in the annual Christmas Ball organised by the Professional Yachting Association (PYA).
Each year, the PYA hosts an exclusive gala event on the French Riviera to celebrate industry achievements and provide a networking opportunity for yachting professionals and industry leaders. This year’s black tie event will be held at the Martinez Hotel, famous for hosting Hollywood’s most recognised A-list stars during the Cannes Film Festival.
This year, a delegation of captains and representatives from the Italian Yacht Masters association along with special guests from the Hellenic Yacht Masters’ Club are set to attend.
Following a number of industry events including the Superyacht Forum in Amsterdam in November and the Sea Changes Forum at the Monaco Yacht Show, the PYA has been advocating for a more sustainable industry, holding a series of discussions that is shaping the future direction of yachting.
Since the founding of the PYA in 1991, the organisation has been building its international footprint and helping yacht crew enter the industry – providing yacht rating certificate services and others, approved by the MCA in the UK and Transport Malta.
PYA’s CEO Christophe Bourillon recently highlighted the changes impacting yachting in an op-ed for the Superyacht News – urging the industry to consider a more sustainable path forward as superyacht production booms globally. With the positive impact of yachting on local tourism along with employment prospects for crews, Cannes and Antibes among other coastal towns in France have benefited from increased inward investment.
Among the PYA’s supporting sponsors for this year’s Ball include superyacht insurance broker Fort Insurance, Burgess, Nautech, the MYBA and Global Wine Solutions.
As one of the highlights in the yachting industry calendar, the 2023 PYA Christmas Ball is a masquerade themed event and will take place on December 8th.
As we move into the Christmas season, Cannes is also hosting a number of cultural events until the New Year including the Festival de Danse, which is currently running this month.
