Broker Report: Croatia, Greece, Turkey
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While many international charter brokers attended boat shows in Europe this month, charter broker Ed Hamilton of Ed Hamilton and Company spent time cruising in Croatia, Greece, and Turkey to gain additional insights into the cruising grounds where charter yachts operate.
Following is a conversation that Hamilton and I had this week about his impressions from the region.
The photos on your company’s Facebook page made it look like you enjoyed a pretty impressive itinerary.
It was a fantastic trip. The basic idea was to see as many cruising areas as possible. We started in Venice, Italy, and then went to Split, Croatia, where we saw several really nice charter boats. Then we went all the way around to Athens, Greece, and then across to Istanbul, Turkey.
We did a stop at the ancient city of Ephesus, which a lot of people like to see on the way back from a charter in Southwest Turkey, and we stopped at the Greek islands Mykonos and Santorini, which a lot of charter clients also enjoy visiting.
What was the general vibe that you encountered?
The whole Eastern Mediterranean seemed pretty upbeat. It was very much the beginning of the season, so there weren’t a lot of boats on the water, but the weather was stunning, with temperatures in the 80s and sunshine every day.
We always tell people that May is a good time to go for a charter in this part of the world, but for some reason people just don’t want to go until July or August. They want to be sure the shops are all open, I guess.
I published an interview yesterday with a broker just back from Greece who says that market is still fairly open for the summer with owners negotiating rates—possibly a bad economic harbinger at this late date. What did you learn about the overall Eastern Mediterranean market?
The people we talked to were certainly optimistic about the upcoming season. We were concentrating on the 50- to 80-foot boat market during this trip, and that is different from the megayacht market, but I didn’t notice any feeling of panic.
So you would continue to enthusiastically recommend the Eastern Mediterranean for yacht charter?
Oh yes. We really renewed our interest in the area. It’s such a gorgeous, gorgeous place. It’s a fantastic charter location where there can be an incredible emphasis on different things ashore, from cafés to bazaars to ancient ruins. I was sitting in a café having coffee and watching the world go by, and it was such a different world.
If you like change and like to see something different, it’s fantastic. The deeper you go into it, the more there is to find.
To learn more about yacht charter in Croatia, Greece, Turkey, or anywhere else in the world, contact Ed Hamilton through the Ed Hamilton and Company website. You can view photos of his recent trip on the Ed Hamilton and Company Facebook page.
Editor’s Note: Ed Hamilton and Company is a sponsor of CharterWave, where this blog originates.
