A North East company that sells multi-million pound yachts around the globe is expanding with the launch of two new offices.
The European division of West Nautical was opened in Gateshead in 2014 by Geoff Moore, after studying marine operations at Northumbria University.
The company offers superyacht services including management, crew recruitment and yacht design, as well as the sale of luxury yachts, with boats currently on the books worth anything from £600,000 to as much as £60 million.
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Based in Baltic Quays, the firm has also been growing its yacht charter services, where holidaymakers can hire luxury yachts.
While the head office is based in Gateshead, the firm has also expanded overseas to have offices in Russia, France, Cyprus, and Spain, employing a total of 27 people.
Now the superyacht company is opening new bases in Jesmond and the Team Valley, having seen a huge lift in enquiries.
The firm said that, during the summer of 2020 when borders reopened in July and August, the company counted in enquiries from new customers, including clients entirely new to yachting but who had the money and means to charter, either alone or with friends and family in their ‘bubble’.
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Demand has also increased by the accumulation of charter bookings that had been postponed for a later date due to global travel restrictions, meaning a large number of bookings have now been taken in advance for the 2022 summer season.
The firm said that 2021 also saw a huge increase in yacht sales globally, with clients having more disposable income due to their inability to travel or spend money on leisure activities for a long period of time.
For the first time, West Nautical also found that there were more buyers than boats, so the company is recruiting more sales managers, to advise clients on appropriate pricing and offer ‘off market’ options that would not be seen online.
A West Nautical spokesman said: “This increase in demand for sales and chartering has allowed West Nautical to grow substantially as a business throughout the pandemic, which has included the hiring of several new members of staff in the 海角视频 office as well as the launch of two brand new offices.
“At the start of 2022, we will be launching a luxury, shopfront superyacht office on Osborne Road in Jesmond, which will serve as a hub for the marketing and PR team, as well as serve clients in the surrounding area. The interior fit-out will be one of a kind in collaboration with yacht interior designer John Vickers.”
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