Sailing into 2024: Dream Yacht Worldwide Shares Trend Forecast & Learnings from 2023

CLEARWATER, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dream Yacht Worldwide (DYW), a leading sea-based vacation and global yacht charter company, has shared its forecasted trends for the sailing industry and key learnings from the past several months.

Non-sailors are getting out on the water
Dream Yacht Worldwide has seen increased interest from non-sailors to try sailing as a new vacation experience (20% of new contacts have never sailed before in 2023, vs. 15% in 2022). The company believes this is partly due to greater overall awareness of yacht charters as a vacation option even for non-sailors.

Of the “new to sailing” contacts that book – most are between 40 and 50 years old, and travel with a group of friends that altogether spend 5.4K USD on average for a week; not including taxes or extra services such as skippers, hostess, etc.

Average sailing vacation duration is a week and their top destinations are:

• Bahamas, BVI & México in the Caribbean
• Italy, Greece & Croatia in the Mediterranean
• The “new to sailing” demographic typically is booking in May, June and July

Exotic “bucket-list” sailing experiences & durations
Since 2021, Dream Yacht Worldwide has seen a measurable surge of interest in more exotic destinations, including French Polynesia, Seychelles and Thailand. DYW is confident the trend will continue to be a top priority. These destinations, for US travelers, can represent the “once in a lifetime” trips they are looking to experience with friends and family.

In close relation is a trend toward longer duration sailing charters, particularly for exotic or “far-flung” destinations that take longer to reach. Whereas durations can average 7-8 days in many destinations, French Polynesia, Seychelles and Thailand have experienced a 9% increase in charters of 10 days or longer.

Remote destinations & pristine nature experiences
The company is seeing a general trend toward more remote destinations with longer sailing distances, pristine islands and beaches, fewer crowds and opportunities for wildlife experiences in natural environments. Destinations include the Exumas, Bahamas and La Paz, Mexico, both of which have seen notable increases over the 2021 season, and nearly double the number of sailing charters over pre-Covid numbers.

Generational sailing charters
The uptick in generational travel seen in the past few years continues to increase, with nearly 12% of surveyed charterers reporting sailing with at least 3 generations of family members.

Destinations preferred for generational travel tend toward those offering calm waters and varied activities for all ages to enjoy together. Dream Yacht Worldwide’s top destinations for generational travel have been the British Virgin Islands, the Abacos and Tahiti.

About Dream Yacht Worldwide
Dream Yacht Worldwide offers one of the largest and most diverse yacht fleets in terms of models and manufacturers in the world, making experiences at sea accessible to all. Founded by Loïc Bonnet in 2000 as a six-yacht company based in the Seychelles, the company evolved into Dream Yacht Worldwide and is now one of the world’s leading sea-vacation companies, offering 40+ stunning sailing grounds and a diverse fleet of over 800 yachts to suit any on-water vacation. The group employs more than 600 people in 31 countries.

A pioneer in sailing accessibility for all, Dream Yacht Worldwide allows travelers the unique experience of sea-based vacations to broaden travel experiences and discover limitless destinations. Traveling by sea offers access to the beauties of the world and unique destinations as seen from a different angle. We offer the widest range of destinations, from the golden sands of the Caribbean to Europe’s thousands of islands.

Whether it’s a thrilling adventure or relaxing vacation, Dream Yacht Worldwide offers the freedom of a tailor-made vacation at sea: secret hideaways, must see hotspots, hidden gems, or just places to meet new people. With a wide range of activities and new destinations, there are always new experiences, places, and cultures to discover and memories to make, but with no trace left behind.