Cannes Yachting Festival 2026: final figures

Cannes Yachting Festival draws 56,000 visitors in 2026

By Press Mare

16/09/2026 - 13:31

The 49th Cannes Yachting Festival closed with 56,000 visitors, 660 exhibitors and 700 boats from 5 to 55 metres, including almost 150 world premieres. Held from 8 to 13 September in the Vieux Port and Port Canto, the event covered 100,000 m² of net exhibition space. The organisers describe it as Europe's largest in-water boat show. The final figures list 720 journalists from 45 countries.

Constance Brément led the show for the first time. The press release says her aim was to keep the character of the event while improving the visitor experience, its international reach and its role in presenting change in the industry. "This first edition as director of the Cannes Yachting Festival will remain a particularly meaningful moment for me," Brément said. She added that the trust of exhibitors and partners, together with the work of her teams, "allowed the show to fully keep its promise: to open the international boating season, to bring the major changes in the industry into view and to encourage worthwhile meetings between professionals, enthusiasts and visitors."

Two harbours, two layouts

Of the 700 boats, 360 were in the Vieux Port and 340 in Port Canto. The Vieux Port was given over to motor yachts, with new boats from 12 to 50 metres along the Jetée, Quai Max Laubeuf, Quai Saint-Pierre, the Pantiero and the Palais des Festivals. Engine manufacturers, equipment suppliers, designers, marinas and service companies exhibited alongside the yards. In the middle of the harbour, the Power Cat Village hosted around thirty power catamarans.

In Port Canto, the Sailing Area had 120 new sailing yachts over 10 metres, both monohulls and multihulls. The Power Boat Marina had 180 motorboats up to 13 metres, among them dayboats and RIBs. Almost 45 pre-owned yachts over 25 metres were on show in the Yacht Brokerage Area, and the Toys Area covered water sports equipment. There were 95 catamarans in total, 51 sail and 44 power.

Propulsion and new ways of boating

The release lists hybrid propulsion, solar power, recyclable batteries, hydrogen generation, recycled materials, optimised production processes and low-impact coatings among the solutions on display. In the organisers' view, the industry's transition now depends on several complementary solutions rather than a single technology.

The show also gave room to what it calls "slow boating", built around comfort, quiet running, autonomy and the quality of stopovers. Visitors could see boats designed as living spaces, as well as destinations and marina networks that put the emphasis on the route and on getting to know the places visited.

Innovation Route Awards

Launched in 2024, the Innovation Route received 120 applications this year. A jury of industry professionals and specialist journalists shortlisted 47 of them. Its members were Guillaume Arnauld des Lions, Thierry Berest, Rachel Goult, Jean-Christophe Guillaumin, Geoffroy Langlade and Elena Patriarca. The selected projects were marked with dedicated signage in both harbours and dealt with electrification, energy efficiency, safety, onboard intelligence, new materials and the restoration of marine biodiversity.

The five winners of the second Innovation Route Awards were announced on 8 September at the exhibitors' cocktail party. BlueNav's Smart Mooring won best equipment for optimising navigation, Suzuki Marine's Suzuki Edge ECoat was named best sustainable product and the Excess 11 from Excess Catamarans took best innovative boat. The award for best corporate social responsibility initiative went to D-Marin for Biohut® – Marine Biodiversity Restoration Initiative, and the special jury prize to the Azimut Yachts Grande 44M. The trophies were made to order by France Hélice.

Best of Boats Award finalists

For the first time, the Festival hosted the announcement of the 31 finalists of the Best of Boats Award 2026, an international award for motorboats. The ceremony took place on 9 September at the Port Canto VIP Club, with the finalists spread across seven categories.

Opening and partners

The show was opened by Nicolas Gorjux, first deputy mayor of Cannes and president of the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès; Jean-Michel Arnaud, deputy mayor of Cannes responsible for the sea and ports and vice-president of the Cannes Lérins conurbation; Jean-Paul Chapeleau, president of the Fédération des Industries Nautiques; Michel Filzi and his successor Filippo Rean of RX France; and Constance Brément.

Roche Bobois furnished the Vieux Port VIP Club with one of its outdoor collections, Range Rover handled guest transfers from Nice airport and Louis Roederer champagne was served in both VIP Clubs and at the Panoramique and Skippers restaurants. On the water, Focus Motor Yachts ran VIP crossings between the Vieux Port and Port Canto, Yamaha supplied the boats used by the marine team and Mercury equipped the movable pontoons. Pantaenius insured the marine team's boats and the pontoon equipment. Marinepool was clothing partner for the show's teams, Deo Juvante Yachts worked with the press office, Edelweiss Service International supported the Captains' Programme and Ultra Marine ran the Vieux Port Solarium.