The Mexican nautical culture appears to be awakening while conjugating new tourist's destinations with marina, with more infrastructures and the increment of the number of businesses offering services and even more availability in international brands in Mexico.

Not very long ago the nautical culture was concentrated in a few destinations and it wasn’t very settled. Nowadays the situation is different.

In the opinion of Roberto Aboumrad Founder and President of Performance Boats: “For the Mexican market this times are great to buy Yachts, for the Mexicans, as well as for the general market. Because the prices have gone down significantly, and the infrastructure of marinas in Mexico offers every day more alternati- ves, more attractions and more destinations”.

 

He puntualized that in Mexico the nautical culture has evolved very much but it has a long way to go. He quoted “that we must adapt the European and American culture of “do it yourself”, this meaning that you have to enjoy your boat in every way. From navigating it, to cleaning it and parking it. In Mexico from ignorance we don’t do it, and we miss a large part of the experience that it is”.

I’ve been sailing 25 years and none of my sailing trips have been the same, that is why people should buy a boat, it will always be a unique experience".

On this aspect, Augusto de Otaduy, CEO of Performance Boats Los Cabos, said "the nautical culture in Mexico has awakened; the most important thing is that in Mexico nowadays there are capabilities to buy a boat. 20 years ago you could not bring a yacht to Mexico, but today is very different, in the country now there are a variety of brands and they keep growing as well as in infrastructure of service”.

The construction of new marinas in several Mexican destinations has transformed into new opportunities to grow in this industry. “There can be no nautical culture where there is no infrastructure to cope with, it goes together”, he said.

 

For his part, Javier Navarro, Mexicos Ferretti commercial director, believes that "we have been living a maturity of customers in the market the shipyards see Mexico as an attractive market with potential. Nautical culture grows; some economic groups have moved to the coasts (not only as tou- rist destinations). All of these embraced in a national nautical infrastructure that improves gradually. ‘There are many factors at once”.

On the fact that Mexicans are learning the culture of yachting, he said: "when I talk with our customers and they return with new stories describing experiences that never felt so magical, makes all our efforts worthwhile. And that excites me to be able to get more families to have these experiences. And they continue visiting new des- tinations for longer periods of time”.

"As the yachting market has been growing, both the charter yachts and the used boats. Have been growing too".

Jose Luis Arana, Director and Representative for Fraser Yachts Mexico, considered: “over the past 10 years the Mexican market has grown. The marinas on the Pacific Coast and the Mexican Caribbean

have attracted a great amount of new boats, with their new facilities.

In addition, he said that in the last decade having a boat in México has become a trend, where all the new dealers have done a great marketing job.

As a part of the Nautical culture evolution in Mexico, in early February last year, Fraser Yachts made their presentation for their Charter operation in the Pacific Coast of the Mexican Republic.

 

The Boat Show amazes in Puerto Vallarta

About the Boat Show that took place from March 12th to the 16th in Puerto Vallarta. Joaquin Soto. Brunswick's Business Director in Latin America quoted "this kind of events can help the development of the nautical cul- ture in México and this was one of the main objectives".

For one of the most enthusiastic promoters at the event, a number of never before seen boats of all categories were presented, for all uses and from the world’s top brands.

Joaquin Soto gave as an example the case of recreational boats, sport boats, fishing yachts, from fresh water and yatch fishing, to open sea sport fishing, as well as accessory brands, etcetera.

He finished by saying: “Mexico is a very attractive market, to the point of being last year’s fastest growing country in the nautical market".

Roberto Aboumrad quoted that Performance Boats was the main sponsor of the Puerto Vallarta Boat Show, he stated that they decided to do it this year because just until now the conditions to make it as an international event.

For his part. Augusto de Otaduy said *we had a response in Vallarta beyond expectations, with more than 1,500 thousand visitors, all Mexicans, and we close operations*. A very important element that was noted that 50% of people who attended was looking for their first boat, meaning that in three or four years this people will become totally involved with the sea.

We questioned Javier Navarro about the fact that Mexicans are very frequent visitors to the Boat Shows of Florida and therefore which advantages would the Vallarta Boat Show will offer. He quoted: “to some it will be the proximity and ease of sharing this experience with family and friends. And for lovers of the pacific, the opportunity to buy Yachts already on the Mexican coast". 

 

 

Text: Ricardo Vázquez ± Photo: Cortesía de Pershing Yachts, Azimut Yachts, Brunswick, Archivo