As the Monaco Yacht Show celebrates its 35th edition, the event continues to bring together the leading names shaping the future of yachting. In this exclusive interview, Toby Moore, CEO of the Monaco Yacht Show, shares his perspective on the evolution of the industry, changing client expectations, new technology, sustainability and what lies ahead for the show.
By L’Officiel Monaco
Toby Moore, Chief Executive Officer – Informa Prestige, a new Informa luxury division containing the Monaco Yacht Show, BOAT International, Top Marques & Art Monte-Carlo
Question 1: The Monaco Yacht Show is celebrating its 35th edition this year. What does this milestone represent for you personally and for the event?
Toby Moore: For the event, this 35th edition marks the evolution of the Monaco Yacht Show into far more than a showcase – it has become the industry’s central gathering point and authoritative voice
On a personal level, this is my first edition on the organiser’s side. Having worked in and around this industry for over 20 years – first in media with Hearst, Time Inc, and The Telegraph, and later as CEO of BOAT International Media – I have known the MYS from two angles: as a powerful commercial marketplace and as an exceptional visitor experience on the quays. Stepping into this role has given me a new appreciation of the responsibility that comes with delivering an event of this scale. My vision is rooted in continuity. When you inherit a successful brand, you first strengthen its foundations before building on them. My goal is to preserve what makes the show exceptional while creating new opportunities for our clients.
Question 2: How has the Monaco Yacht Show evolved in recent years, and what do you think has allowed it to remain the most important international reference for the superyacht industry?
Toby Moore: The MYS occupies a completely unique position thanks to its exceptional market density. It is one of the few shows in the world where the entire value chain – from shipyards and brokers to designers and equipment suppliers – is physically brought together. A client can enter a project at any stage and find the right counterpart just a few metres away, meaning a yacht project can be conducted end-to-end within a single perimeter.
This concentration of decision-making capital allows owners to compare the world’s best offerings in a unique setting, saving them weeks of travel across European shipyards and ports. We remain the only show exclusively dedicated to vessels above 24 metres. With a fleet of 118 superyachts, including nearly 50 world premieres each year, the curation of the fleet is unmatched. Furthermore, our 90% exhibitor retention rate demonstrates the consistent trust and commercial stability we have built with the industry. Finally, the High Patronage of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco confers an institutional legitimacy and prestige that no other show can match.
Question 3: What are yacht owners and prospective buyers looking for today that they were perhaps not looking for five or ten years ago?
Toby Moore: We are witnessing a profound shift in how owners perceive and use their yachts. Historically, superyachts were often viewed through the lens of ostentation and status. Today, the focus has shifted from “being seen” to “going somewhere”. We call this movement “purpose over presence”.
Modern buyers are seeking:
• A Private Sanctuary: They view their yacht as a high-tech family hub and a mobile extension of their office with seamless satellite connectivity.
• Quiet Luxury: There is a decisive aesthetic shift toward understated sophistication, intentional design, natural textures, and warm, neutral tones that feel like lived-in homes rather than staged showpieces.
• Accountability over Rhetoric: Owners no longer accept marketing claims at face value. They demand quantified, verified data on fuel consumption, carbon footprints, and operational costs.
• Wellness and Longevity: The integration of wellness spaces – such as circadian lighting, biohacking zones, and meditation spaces – has transitioned from an optional luxury to a standard requirement.
Question 4: How do you see the expectations of a younger generation of luxury consumers influencing the future of yachting?
Toby Moore: The “rejuvenation” of the buyer is one of the most significant changes shaping the market today. The average age of our clientele has dropped from 60 to closer to 50, bringing a wave of Millennials and Generation Z buyers into the space.
As true digital natives, these tech founders and entrepreneurs approach yachting with a culture shaped by data and performance. They do not respond to brand narratives; they expect quantified answers on carbon footprints and performance metrics. This generation is driving the surge in expedition yachts, modular onboard configurations, and expansive beach clubs that open directly onto the water. They view a superyacht as a strategic lifestyle asset for privacy, family connection, and global mobility.
Question 5: What are the most significant trends you are seeing in superyachting today, particularly in terms of design, technology, sustainability and the way owners are using their yachts?
Toby Moore: Three very concrete trends stand out:
- Sustainability as a Baseline: Environmental accountability is now a standard expectation. Diesel-electric and hybrid propulsion systems are becoming standard on new major builds. We have developed the Blue Wake™ programme in partnership with Water Revolution Foundation to bring independent verification to sustainability claims.
Rather than accepting marketing narratives, we now require technical validation, such as YETI scores or lifecycle assessments, for any solution presented as sustainable.
- Invisible Infrastructure: While high-speed connectivity and AI are deeply integrated, the trend is for technology to disappear into the background. AI is compressing design cycles by up to 70% and optimising operations, but the ultimate luxury is a vessel where technology works quietly without distracting from the experience of being at sea.
- Fleet Diversification & Explorer DNA: Alongside classic motoryachts, we are seeing a massive rise in explorer yachts and “pocket explorers”. These are compact, robust units under 50 metres designed with extended range and autonomous capabilities for “off-grid” cruising to remote destinations like the Arctic or Pacific atolls.
Question 6: What would you say are the defining features of the 2026 edition, and what are you most looking forward to this year?
Toby Moore: The 2026 edition stands out due to the sheer diversity and technical ambition of the fleet. We are hosting some extraordinary world launches, including two units over 100 metres: Oceanco’s Leviathan (111m) and Lürssen’s Nixie (102m), both equipped with advanced diesel-electric propulsion.
Beyond the docks, I am incredibly excited about our new curated spaces. We have launched the BOAT Lounge in partnership with BOAT International, designed to host market intelligence sessions and demystify the realities of ownership for prospective buyers. We have also completely reset the Designer Gallery with an immersive interactive room powered by VBH, allowing guests to explore future yacht interiors on high-definition LED screens. Finally, we have significantly expanded our Adventure Area to showcase a growing fleet of custom tenders alongside our luxury car display – which this year takes on new significance as the Top Marques Monaco Pavilion.
While luxury cars have had a presence at the show for several years, this is the first time we are formally bringing the Top Marques Monaco brand into the Monaco Yacht Show. This evolution reflects the integration of Monaco Yacht Show and Top Marques Monaco under Informa Prestige, which also includes Art Monte-Carlo and BOAT International. The modern ultra-high-net-worth individual does not think in category silos – their architect, art advisor, yacht broker, and private banker increasingly operate in overlapping networks. Informa Prestige exists to connect those worlds. These are not parallel worlds; they are the same conversation.
Question 7: Monaco has a unique position at the crossroads of yachting, luxury, culture and international business. What makes the Principality such a natural setting for the show?
Toby Moore: Monaco is the only place in the world where the show and the setting are truly one and the same. This isn’t a destination that transforms for one week a year; yachting is woven directly into the Principality’s DNA. More than 400 specialised yachting companies employing over 1,400 professionals are permanently based here, from world-leading shipyards to brokers and technical specialists. The entire ecosystem operates at the highest level every single day.
Port Hercule’s compact layout means everything happens within walking distance – yachts, meetings, and hospitality all in one place. Monaco packs 2,500 luxury hotel rooms and sixteen Michelin-starred restaurants into just over two square kilometres, from Alain Ducasse’s Louis XV to Marcel Ravin’s Blue Bay.
During show week, the Yacht Club de Monaco becomes a natural extension of the event. Our Grand Opening Night, held there on the eve of the show, brings together top-tier buyers, owners, shipyards, and brokers in Monaco’s most prestigious yachting venue – setting the tone for a week focused on discretion, excellence, and high-value relationships.
Question 8: Looking ahead, what is your vision for the future of the Monaco Yacht Show, and how would you like to see it evolve over the coming years?
Toby Moore: My priority is to preserve the qualities that have made the Monaco Yacht Show so successful, while ensuring it continues to evolve with the industry and the expectations of our clients.
Looking ahead, the MYS of tomorrow will remain, above all, a fundamentally social and human event. Nothing replaces meeting in person and in an industry built on craftsmanship, design, and lived experience, digital tools and artificial intelligence can never substitute these real-world encounters.
Instead, the MYS must evolve into a seamless, discreet, and highly refined environment where technology operates quietly in the background as an “invisible infrastructure.” AI will work quietly behind the scenes – connecting the right people, removing friction, saving time – so visitors can focus on what matters: meeting, discovering, and deciding. Our goal is not more interactions, but more meaningful ones.
Ultimately, the MYS has the ingredients to become the world’s most significant gathering for those who shape luxury, design, and how the global elite lives. Our guests are searching for meaning, connection, and experiences that reflect who they are. It comes down to a simple truth: a lifestyle can be bought, but a life must be lived. We do not want the MYS to be a lifestyle experience; we want it to be a life experience.
