First Visit to ITB Berlin
The Yachtmaster Group team recently returned from ITB Berlin, the world’s largest travel trade show. This year marked the first time the team attended the event, with the goal of better understanding how yacht charter fits into the wider travel industry and connecting with travel agencies and tour operators looking to expand their travel products.
%
of global yacht charter revenue comes from Europe
%
of yacht charter revenue comes from crewed charters
%
of ultra-high-net-worth individuals are now under 50
These figures highlight the growing importance of yacht charter within the global travel industry. With Europe leading the market, crewed charters dominating revenue, and a younger generation of high-net-worth travelers entering the segment, yacht charter is becoming an increasingly attractive product for travel agencies and tour operators. This shift was clearly reflected in many of the conversations held during ITB Berlin.
Bringing Travel Agencies from ITB to ICE
During several meetings with travel agencies and tour operators at ITB Berlin, a clear theme emerged. Many agencies are actively searching for new experiences they can offer to their clients. Yacht charter is increasingly appearing as a product they want to better understand and potentially include in their portfolio.
At the same time, conversations at ITB often turned to International Charter Expo (ICE) 2026 in Amsterdam. With almost 1000 companies from across the global yacht charter industry already involved, including more than 250 charter fleets, one of the key topics during meetings at ITB Berlin was how to bring more travel agencies and tour operators to International Charter Expo.
For charter companies attending ICE, this creates an additional opportunity. In addition to meeting other players from the yacht charter industry, they will also have the chance to connect with travel agencies and tour operators who are exploring yacht charter as a new product for their clients.
ITB as a Bridge to New Charter Opportunities
For this reason, the Yachtmaster Group team continues to invest time and resources in participating in major travel trade shows such as ITB Berlin and WTM London. These events allow the team to introduce yacht charter to a wider network of travel agencies and tour operators.
By opening these connections, the goal is to create new opportunities for companies within the yacht charter ecosystem. Strengthening relationships with travel agencies and tour operators can help introduce yacht charter to new audiences and bring additional booking potential to charter fleets and industry partners.
