In the first of this week’s Digital Dialogues, William Mathieson, Editorial and Intelligence Director at The Superyacht Group, speaks with Craig Norris, CEO of Victoria International Marina, Canada, about the development of the service and maintenance sectors within Pacific Regions.

Craig Norris has a 20-year career in business leadership and infrastructure development in western Canada, anchored in leadership roles with one of Canada’s leading environmental consulting firms. In 2015, he moved from corporate consulting to focus on developing Canada’s superyacht business on the west coast, where he led the complete development of Canada’s first superyacht marina and service centre located in Victoria Harbour, British Columbia.

Speaking on whether or not the Pacific and its various locations represent a viable alternative to the world’s tried and tested superyacht destinations, Norris comments: “Absolutely, I’m already seeing it. It has been very easy to open that door between Canada and various Pacific nations. We are in constant communication with Australia and it’s association and we are currently discussing the ‘offseason switch’. The Canadian and Australian summers are at opposite times of the year and it makes for a very interesting proposition to really move around the Pacific with the seasons. The amount of daylight that you can chalk up if you do it properly is astounding.”

Building a trusted global servicing network is one of the superyacht market’s most important ongoing developments. As owners and guests increasingly look for more expansive and exclusive superyacht experiences, infrastructure developments like Victoria International Marina are going to play a pivotal role in helping the superyacht community expand its horizons. As part of its commitment to furthering the interests of the superyacht industry at large, Victoria International Marina will be the headline partner and host for The Pacific Superyacht Forum 2021.

“The key thing is to dispense with some of the perceptions that people have of Canada and the West Coast. It is a beautiful place in the summer, a beautiful place in the winter and it very rarely snows here,” says Norris. “One captain at The Superyacht Forum asked me if our facility was snow-free in the offseason, which really shocked me. I want people to see the opportunity here, I want to see the superyacht industry grow, I want to see more superyacht sales and all that is going to come when there are more places for boats to go and more people with different vested interests in the market.”

To learn more about the development of the Pacific region and the need for servicing and maintenance excellence, watch the full video here.

Craig Norris, CEO of Victoria International Marina

The One to One series is a collective campaign for change and industry improvement, and we welcome participants from all sectors. (If you would like to take part, or contribute your thoughts, please contact Research Editor, Clare Sidwell.

You can view the ever-growing archive of Digital Dialogues here.

And remember, there is still a limited number of spaces left for the industry’s One face-to-face appointment in 2020. The Superyacht Forum will take place 16th – 18th November in Amsterdam, in partnership with METSTRADE. To secure your spot, click here.

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Victoria International Marina

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