Stakeholders in Africa’s superyacht industry have formed the African Superyacht Working Group, with the aim of rolling out an African superyacht growth strategy.

A superyacht is a large, luxury private or chartered yacht, typically exceeding 24 metres (79 feet) in length, and carrying high-end amenities and a professional crew.

It is typically associated with luxury tourism and the super-rich, with significant spending possible per visit per yacht.

“Superyachts are high-value catalysts. Every vessel that stops here supports dozens of local suppliers – from engineers to chefs, mechanics and crew,” says BlueCape chairperson Bruce Tedder.

“By creating a clear policy and marketing framework, we can turn what is now an occasional visit into a consistent economic driver for Cape Town and the region.”

African Boating Conference director Veda Pretorius in October convened a roundtable of representatives from government, industry and tourism in a first coordinated attempt to unlock Africa’s superyacht potential.

A key outcome of the meeting was the formation of the working group, with Pretorius elected as chairperson.

“This initiative reflects a new level of cooperation across borders and sectors,” she notes.

“By working together, we can position Africa as the world’s next great superyacht frontier – one that combines economic value with sustainability and community benefit.”

The working group’s next step will be to draft the African Superyacht Action Agenda, outlining clear steps for infrastructure expansion, policy reform and international promotion, centred on five priority areas.

First is policy and regulation, with the focus on aligning visa, charter and tax frameworks to facilitate superyacht visits and refit activity.

When it comes to infrastructure investment, the priority is to expand marina and refit capacity across key African and Indian Ocean hubs.

The third focus area is marketing and branding, as Africa has to be positioned as a distinctive, high-quality cruising destination on the global map.

The fourth priority area is skills development, with emphasis on building the training and employment pathways in the yacht services, engineering and tourism sectors.

The last focus area is sustainability and inclusion. Here the industry wants to ensure broad local enterprise participation and environmental stewardship while it grows the superyacht market.

“There has never been a more opportune time to align Africa’s marine and tourism sectors around a shared vision,” says V&A Waterfront marine and industrial head Andre Blaine.

“We already have the natural assets and technical capability. What we need now is regulatory alignment and regional coordination to welcome more superyachts, extend their stays, and maximise the benefits for local communities.”

“Our region is already part of the global cruising circuit, but we need to make it easier for vessels to come and stay,” notes Ocean Adventures Madagascar MD Christophe Caume.

“Simplified customs and joint marketing between destinations like Seychelles, Madagascar, Mauritius and South Africa will allow Africa to offer a truly world-class yachting experience,” adds Madagascar Yacht Services’ Cyril Mahafahana.

* BlueCape works with its founding partners, the City of Cape Town and the V&A Waterfront, to support local, provincial and national government to expand the ocean economy.