25 YEAR CHARTER REVIEW
First of all, it's nice to still be here. And it's nice to be able to maintain our enthusiasm still. Of course, if we think back to how much energy we had 25 years ago…
It's nice to be here…
And to maintain our position in the boat rental, sailboat rental, and sailing vacation market. A challenge that repeats itself year after year... the current charter season hasn't even ended before we're already thinking about how to set up the starting blocks for the next summer charter season in 2024, which will undoubtedly lead us to imagine our next sailing vacation in Ischia, Capri, and Procida, as well as Ventotene, Ponza, and Palmarola. Beautiful destinations that never tire of us. We alternate them with Sorrento and Positano and a sailing cruise along the Amalfi Coast.
For the lucky ones who have time for extended periods, we instead offer a sailing vacation to the Aeolian Islands, which remain the most sought-after destinations. Cilento is also starting to rise in popularity, as more and more charterers are discovering it and falling in love with it. Palinuro, Acciaroli, Marina di Camerota, in short... with all these locations, Procida is a must-see as a base for a sailing holiday. And this has certainly helped us a lot over the years…
Just like the climate and the good food... some credit also goes to the Progettoceano staff, with its latest-generation Bavaria Cruiser boats, equipped for comfortable and relaxing sailing cruises. The team is always ready to assist and support guests, from organizing the holiday to returning to base, from welcoming guests to taking care of every detail. In short, everything you need for a sailing holiday... always with a smile and a great deal of kindness, perfect companions for the right amount of professionalism.
NEW CUSTOMS
Meanwhile, the results of recent years have led us to new conclusions, some positive, some less so: first and foremost, the message that sailing holidays are suitable for everyone has finally been received, and the Covid experience has helped us tremendously in this regard... there's no safer place to spend your holidays in complete safety, far from the hassles of daily contagion.
In recent years, many segments of the market have embraced skippered charters that previously wouldn't have even considered a sailing holiday... Families, groups of friends, beginners and experienced sailors... a truly varied target... so the Covid years saw a surge in Italian customers, but above all new members... everyone aboard seemed to be the motto of the Covid years... then after the emergency subsided, a strong rebound in the foreign market, but here too new segments... and new nations are increasingly visiting our coasts to enjoy our beauty and especially the sailing cruises to Amalfi, Positano, Sorrento, Capri... interspersed with a trip to Castellammare di Stabia for easier access to the legendary Pompeii and Herculaneum... many Americans, many Australians, but also many from Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, and the Czech Republic…
This teaches us that Italy never goes out of style, and that especially in Southern Italy we have unique lands and immense potential. We also believe that visiting these maritime lands by sailboat is the healthiest, easiest, and most comfortable way to do so...you arrive in Naples, whether at the airport or station, you'll find our transfer service ready to help you load your luggage and accompany you to our embarkation point on land, where our fast transfer service is ready for you. You're in Procida in about 40 minutes. Here you find your boat, board and stock up, and this is where your wonderful sailing experience begins.... In the meantime, we're preparing as best we can for next summer's charter...we'll soon begin the construction and maintenance phase of the sailboats in our fleet for 2024!!!
REFLECTIONS AND THOUGHTS
But beyond the many beautiful things, the many miles spent sailing, the many weeks of charter, the many clients, the countless happy moments that always accompany and enrich us, life isn't always easy, and these last few years have certainly brought us some bitter disappointments.
It's when you think you've found a balance that allows you to catch your breath, that allows you to finally look to future commitments in the charter world with a bit of serenity... then something slips away... and suddenly you have to start over, get back up, reorganize...
It's a bit like when you wait and dream of your sailing holiday with sun and breeze, long nights at anchor with calm seas, clear evenings and safe anchorages in sheltered bays, and instead a storm and gusty winds hit you... maybe your instinct tells you to return to port while you curse that longing for a boat and the sea, but then you realize that's how it is... and once the initial shock has passed, once you regain control, you just have to haul up the anchor and head towards a safe shelter for as long as the wind blows...
then, when the weather calms down, you resume sailing. And slowly the sun shines again! This too is a challenge, of course, and you can't back down... and you already know that this latest experience will leave its mark... as you rearrange the boat, trim the sails, and gather your thoughts for the next sailing destination, ready to cast off and sail among new waves...
even if sometimes you emerge defeated and other times victorious...