From December 6th to 8th, the International Charter Expo (ICE) – the largest business to business (B2B) expo in the yachting industry, was held at the Zagreb Fairgrounds. Participants were divided into three sectors: suppliers, CAs or fleet operators, and brokers/agencies, making it easier for representatives to be more effective in finding potential partners.
Over the course of three days, more than 1,500 representatives from over 500 companies spanning over 50 different countries (including Greece, Norway, Seychelles, Thailand, Australia, Italy, Hungary, Spain, Belgium…) gathered to hold business meetings and meet with their business partners and friends. The number of new participants was notably high this year, with 120 new companies deciding to come to Zagreb and visit ICE.
Particularly noteworthy were the visits from the Ambassador of the Turkish Embassy in Zagreb, H.E. Yavuz Selim Kiran, the Head of the Office for Trade and Economy of the Greek Embassy, Mr. Michail Charokopos, Ms. Sandra Di Carlo, Director of the Italian Trade Agency in Zagreb, and Isabelle Castaldi, Economic and Commercial Attaché from the Italian Embassy, along with representatives from the Slovak Embassy.
What makes ICE so recognizable and efficient are the pre-arranged meetings with participants through our matchmaking software, Handshake. Handshake allows scheduling meetings up to a month before the ICE, giving everyone enough time to prepare for potential meetings and explore possible partners. The number of pre – arranged meetings over these three days exceeded 20,000, the highest yet.
Similar to previous years, the ground floor was dedicated to bareboat charters, while the gallery was reserved for crewed and luxury fleets, a section considerably larger than in previous years. Central agents and brokers represented more than 400 crewed yachts, some reaching lengths of over 50 meters. Particularly noteworthy were the yachts from companies like Goolets, Master Charter, Touch Adriatic, Feel Yachting, and FX Yachting.
Due to ICE’s expansion and growing international interest in visiting this expo, ICE’24 will be held in Amsterdam because it offers larger space and easier accessibility.
To make ICE more pleasant, exhibitors’ booths were again adorned with graphics made from DISPA material, which is eco-friendly and entirely recyclable. All 9000 square meters of carpet were donated and utilized because we care about the environment and strive to leave minimal waste after such an event.
We want to thank each and every one of you for trusting us and being part of ICE. See you in Amsterdam!
