The inaugural World Yachting Summit in Monaco convened over 200 participants from 20 countries, including industry leaders, regulators, and innovators, to address critical challenges facing the sector. Modeled after global forums like COP and Davos, the three-day event featured 19 panel sessions and 8 keynote talks focused on sustainability, modernization, and generational engagement.

Keynote speaker Jean-Claude Biver, former CEO of Blancpain and Hublot, emphasized innovation through his "first, unique, different" philosophy, while Azimut Benetti's Giovanna Vitelli led discussions on practical sustainability measures. A SMART framework emerged from debates:
Sustainable: Industry must transition from compliance to climate leadership, per DNV's Barbara Sanches and Energy Observer's Victorien Erussard.
Modern: Calls for transparency in listings and standardized regulations for emerging destinations.
Attractive: Shift needed from ostentation to purpose-driven experiences for younger demographics.
Resourceful: Unified advocacy and economic impact storytelling urged, mirroring aviation sector models.
Transformative: Early marine education and human-centric design identified as priorities.

Albert Manzone of Société des Bains de Mer highlighted Monaco's stability as a blueprint for resilience. Closing sessions noted geopolitical and labor challenges, with cautious optimism about adapting to sustainability demands and experience-focused ownership models.
The Summit was co-organized by M3 and OMNIYAT. M3 CEO José Marco Casellini stated: "WYS 2025 leaves a lasting impression... establishing itself as a driving force for innovation and strategic thinking about the future of yachting."

A second edition is planned for 2026 to continue progress on these initiatives.
Credits: World Yachting Summit