Recently the Palm Beach International Boat Show from March 25-28th brought a tremendous amount of visitors to the area and business is booming. The days were hot and the docks were packed. Most hotels were at full capacity and restaurants were turning over their tables quickly, with some up to 850 guests on a weekend night. It was deemed the best yacht show thus far, as far as revenue and capacity. It is said that 100 Million was generated in business for the local area and 600 Million for the state. The International Palm Beach Yacht Show is a good thing….
Palm & West Palm Beach has been buzzing with high energy and excitement for months. There has been an increase in open restaurants, events and an influx of new residents that seem to be mostly from New York. Gratitude is in the air.
Boat show enthusiasts flocked to the docks, some with reservations to view mega-yachts like Quantum of Solace by Turquoise, at an overly impressive 238’ which accommodates 12 guests and 18 crew was on view. At $560,000 or more for a weekly charter, size matters. She was difficult to photograph from the docks and could only be seen fully from above.
Another favorite was IYC’s Lady Michelle by Benetti at 180.5’ which was fully refitted in 2020. Lady Michelle’s exterior and interior was designed by Stefano Natucci with the “Made in Italy” stamp of quality. She holds 13 guests and a crew of 15. The split level master suite with a private observation deck is one of the most impressive on the market. She also boasts a large sundeck with a jacuzzi and dedicated gym. Lady Michelle is stunning! IYC’s Palm Beach office is preeminent in South Florida and is number three globally with over 100 representatives in the industry. More on IYC’s private event soon.
M.Y. Lady Michelle
Even though the docks had plenty of yacht enthusiasts this year, there were fewer yacht events than usual. Micro-events seemed to be the trend with less attendees. Thus, the surplus of guests spilled out into the restaurants which were frequently overbooked.
“The boat show is an iconic event for West Palm Beach, and to be able to do it coming off the year everyone has had really means a lot to us,” said Drew Shane, general manager of Elisabetta’s Ristorante.
