African Boating Conference to return to Cape Town in October 2026
The African Superyacht Working Group was established after the 2025 conference
The African Boating Conference 2026 is scheduled to take place in Cape Town on 20 and 21 October.
The event follows the inaugural edition in October 2025, which reached full capacity.
The two-day conference is focused on Africa’s boating, marina and blue economy sectors and is structured as a platform for industry participants to examine market conditions, regulatory frameworks and development opportunities across the continent.
The 2026 edition will again be hosted in Cape Town. Delegates are expected to include industry executives, policymakers, investors, developers, manufacturers and service providers from Southern Africa and other regions.
The 2025 conference resulted in the formation of an African Superyacht Working Group, which has been established to address regulatory, operational and infrastructure constraints affecting sector growth.
An update on the working group’s progress, including engagement between industry representatives and government stakeholders, is scheduled to form part of the 2026 programme.
The programme will cover marina development, superyacht readiness, policy, skills development, manufacturing and investment. Sessions are expected to include panel discussions and presentations from regional and international speakers, alongside networking sessions and trade displays.
“The response from last year’s delegates, speakers, and sponsors confirmed what we believed from the outset — Africa needs its own platform to discuss its boating industry on its own terms, at a global standard,” says conference organiser Veda Pretorius. “Just as importantly, the conference has proven to be a valuable forum for government stakeholders to engage directly with industry, better understand its realities, and work collaboratively towards solutions.”
Organisers describe the conference as a forum dedicated to developments within Africa’s boating sector, including marina infrastructure, superyacht capability, regulatory matters and workforce development.
They state that the event is intended to provide information relevant to businesses assessing market entry, expansion or partnership opportunities within Africa.
Further information on delegate registration, sponsorship packages and speaker announcements will be released in the coming months on the event’s website.
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