Riviera was the main attraction at the Sanctuary Cove Boat Show – Riviera – Australia’s Premium Luxury Motor Yacht Builder

RIVIERA SHINES AT SANCTUARY COVE INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW

Published May 29, 2024

Riviera took centre stage at the recording breaking 2024 Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show.

For keen boating aficionados, the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show is worth travelling across the country and around the world to see.

This unrivalled event on the Australian marine calendar is a chance for brands – big and small – to show their wares and test the waters to see if they have what it takes to captivate the market.

The 2024 event, held this month in almost perfect Gold Coast weather conditions, was no exception. Many of the industry’s biggest brands were launching new products. But there clearly was one favourite among the almost 50,000 visitors to Sanctuary Cove over the four-days.

“Now we are talking,’’ a dad says as he turns to his wife and three teenage children. “I’m so excited to see all these Rivieras in one spot. This is something you don’t get to experience every day – and they are made here on the Gold Coast. It doesn’t get better than this!’’

It was obvious as you wandered through the maze of exhibitors that Riviera was the biggest game in town. There was a constant stream of people making their way past the Bentley display, the Lamborghini display, past the Rolls Royce display to squeeze their way into the Riviera offering.

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"The world premiere of our 6800 Sport Yacht Platinum Edition has received great accolades from her new owners and everyone who stepped aboard."

RIVIERA AUSTRALIA OWNER RODNEY LONGHURST

Riviera’s floating dock, flanked by 14 polished and gleaming motor yachts, afforded visitors the chance to indulge in a moment of pure escapism. It was a haven for dreamers. People dreaming about one day owning a motor yacht. Current owners dreaming about potentially upgrading to the impressive 6800 Sport Yacht Platinum Edition, that had her world premiere at the show. And those dreamers simply wanting to remove themselves from the everyday and spend some quality time exploring the extraordinary.

“This year has been an exceptional Sanctuary Cove show for Riviera,’’ owner Rodney Longhurst said.

“The world premiere of our 6800 Sport Yacht Platinum Edition has received great accolades from her new owners and everyone who stepped aboard. Our record showcase of luxury motor yachts from 46 to 78 feet has inspired new boaters to join the Riviera family.

“The Festival of Boating, our exclusive boating education program will help our owners achieve their ultimate boating experience. From our three gala dinners commemorating the launch of our 6000^th motor yacht to our ladies’ luncheon event all held during the show, the past four days have been great cause for celebration for our amazing team.”

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Rodney Longhurst spent the four days dockside animatedly engaging with anyone who wanted to chat. Riviera owners shared their boating stories with him. Locals chatted about how proud they were to have the Riviera business as part of their community. Some had questions about future craft. And a set of parents simply wanted to say thank you to the Riviera boss for hiring their son as an apprentice and setting his life on a positive course.

The YOT Club, dockside behind the curtains and up a flight of stairs, was the owners’ private playground. With a fully stocked bar, stage, lots of comfortable lounges, and a training room; owners were able to gather with friends and share stories and a few laughs.

There was a true sense of community among the guests. A familiarity that is usually only found at family functions. Some repeat visitors only ever get to catch up once a year at the Boat Show in the Riviera YOT Club. You could hear accents from all over the world. Looking around, you could see some people in deep earnest discussions, while others were erupting in raucous laughter.

"This is our only boat show that we attend in Australia, so it gives a great reason for everybody to come from around the country to see what we have and we’re always launching our premieres here and we’ll certainly have a few more surprises next year."

STEPHEN MILNE, RIVIERA BRAND & COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

Over the four days, Riviera entertained more than 1000 owners at various events, including the popular Ladies’ Luncheon and the pre-show launch of the 6800 Sport Yacht Platinum Edition.

“This is our only boat show that we attend in Australia, so it gives a great reason for everybody to come from around the country to see what we have and we’re always launching our premieres here and we’ll certainly have a few more surprises next year,” Stephen Milne, director Brand and Communications, said.

“We’ve had owners here from America and from New Zealand and from around Australia – we’re very happy.”

One of the constants throughout the Riviera display was the inclusion of the company’s apprentices. Our young and aspiring craftspeople welcomed visitors on board the luxury motor yachts. They handed out food to people during the cooking demonstrations. It was an incredible opportunity for them to mingle with owners and get to know the people who will one day be the end users of the magnificent motor yachts that these apprentices help to make.

Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show general manager said the 2024 event had welcomed a record Day 1 crowd of more than 10,000 people. “It’s very pleasing as a show organiser to see this absolutely stunning event come together every year,’’ Mr Hasser said. “We had a record show here at Sanctuary Cove – the biggest show we’ve ever had with more than 350 boats on the water.’’