The Leisure Marine Association MENA LMA MENA welcomed more than 80 members, industry leaders, sponsors, partners, media representatives and guests to Abu Dhabi on 1 October for the 2nd Edition of Future of Yachting and the LMA Annual General Meeting 2026, hosted by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) in collaboration with LMA MENA at the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi.
The annual gathering brought together stakeholders from across the leisure marine sector to exchange perspectives on the developments, challenges, and opportunities shaping yachting across the UAE and wider MENA region. Representing marinas, yacht building, charter, yacht services, marine equipment, tourism, maritime development, and the wider marine supply chain, the event reflected the regional industry’s diversity and continued growth.
Abu Dhabi Spotlight: Destinations, Developments & Opportunities
The programme opened with a dedicated Abu Dhabi Spotlight, led by Melroy Vaz, Unit Head – Cruise Tourism Products Development at the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, highlighting the Emirate’s evolving yachting proposition, charter development, waterfront destinations and opportunities to experience Abu Dhabi from the water.
A key regional development was the UAE Yachting Alliance, which brought together Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah to strengthen the UAE’s position as a connected international yachting destination. DCT Abu Dhabi also highlighted work around cruising experiences, charter opportunities and the development of a wider yachting calendar.
Carol Stoneman of the Abu Dhabi International Boat Show (ADIBS) shared preparations for the upcoming edition from 19–22 November 2026, with approximately 152 boats planned across its marina and land displays, alongside new sectors and increased GCC participation.
Michael Fetton of JLS Yachts presented the continued evolution of the Compass Card, originally developed for visiting superyacht crew and now being expanded through its partnership with LMA MENA to provide benefits to Association members and the wider marine community.
Marina and destination developments were highlighted by Ivaylo Kishkov, who announced the official opening of the 75-berth Marsa Al Jubail; Andrew McKenzie of Emirates Palace Marina, who shared upgrades to its superyacht facilities and preparations to host the SailGP championship final; and Samer El Adem of Yas Marina, who highlighted strong berthing demand, the Dock and Earn rewards programme, further crew and electric charging infrastructure, and the planned return of Yas Rendezvous for its second edition.
Closing the Abu Dhabi Spotlight, Dr. Haya Aldaghlas, Strategic Interface Director, Abu Dhabi Maritime, presented the updated Maritime Sector Strategy, bringing together more than 98 initiatives and programmes and over 19 strategic objectives across tourism and leisure, infrastructure, sustainability, technology, mobility, regulation, safety and international cooperation.
Of particular relevance to the leisure marine community was progress towards more seamless yacht movement between Emirates. Building on cooperation between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, further connectivity with Ras Al Khaimah is also being progressed, supporting a more connected UAE yachting experience.
The Abu Dhabi Spotlight demonstrated both the scale of development taking place within the Emirate and the wider opportunity to strengthen the UAE and MENA’s position on the international yachting map.
LMA MENA: Connecting the Regional Industry
The programme continued with the LMA MENA Annual General Meeting, led by Wyndham Tops, Senior Director at Red Sea Global and Chairman of LMA MENA, providing members with an overview of the Association’s activities, membership, financial position, strategic partnerships and industry engagement during the year.
With members representing 16 countries and markets across MENA, LMA MENA continues to connect businesses and professionals from all sectors of the leisure marine industry.
The Association also highlighted its four dedicated industry subcommittees, Marinas, Charter, Boat Finance, and Boat Repair & Refit, providing focused platforms for members to exchange expertise and address shared industry priorities.
The AGM also marked the opening of the 2026–2027 LMA MENA Board Election.
Future of Yachting 2026: The Industry Takes the Floor
The Future of Yachting 2026 panel discussion, moderated by Oliver Rees of Green Flag Marine Yacht Services, brought together Erwin Bamps of Gulf Craft Group, Michael Fetton of JLS Yachts, John W.R. Paul of Exalto Emirates, Wael Joujou of V-Marine and Zaid Shouly of The Captain’s Club.
Representing different areas of the leisure marine value chain, the panellists explored the opportunities and challenges facing the sector, regional market development and priorities for the next stage of growth across MENA. The panel reflected the diversity of the LMA MENA community, bringing together members, sponsors, Board representation and the Association’s Ambassador network. An interactive audience Q&A allowed participants to bring their own questions and industry priorities into the discussion.
LMA MENA Board 2026–2027:
Following the conclusion and review of the member vote, LMA MENA confirmed its 2026–2027 Board, comprising 10 Board Members and one Chairperson:
Abdulla • Carol Stoneman • Farrokh Golchin • Ivaylo Kishkov • Joachim de Jenlis • Linda Negerman • Melroy Vaz • Oliver Rees • Capt. Patricia Caswell • Wyndham Tops • Zaid Shouly
LMA MENA congratulates the newly elected Board and thanks all candidates and members who participated in this year’s election. The Association also extends its appreciation to departing Board members Ahmed Abdelhalim, Jakob Tarnok Larsen, Michael Fetton and Saeed Almarri for their dedication and contribution during their tenure.
Industry Support & Partnerships:
LMA MENA extends its appreciation to its sponsors – Abu Dhabi Maritime, Exalto Emirates, Xclusive Yachts, P&O Marinas, Gulf Craft Group, The Captain’s Club and the Abu Dhabi International Boat Show (ADIBS) – whose continued support contributes to the Association’s year-round work across industry representation, networking, knowledge sharing, professional development and engagement.
Their support, alongside LMA MENA’s members and strategic partners, helps strengthen the Association’s role as a collective voice for the leisure marine industry across MENA.
Looking Ahead:
Reflecting on the second edition, Wyndham Tops, Chairman of LMA MENA, said:
“Future of Yachting is about bringing our industry together. We have tremendous development taking place across the region, but the real opportunity comes when we connect that progress, our businesses, destinations, authorities and people. LMA MENA’s role is to keep creating that platform, listen to our members and work collectively towards a stronger leisure marine industry across MENA.”
The event concluded with remarks from Haitham Ali Khamis, Acting Director of Tourism Products Development at the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi:
“Abu Dhabi is strengthening its position as a leading marine tourism destination, with more than 200 natural islands, world-class marinas, pristine coastlines and year-round experiences. As we advance our Tourism Strategy 2030, marine tourism will diversify our offering, attract high-value visitors and create opportunities across the tourism ecosystem.
The Future of Yachting provides a vital platform to unite industry leaders and advance our maritime agenda. Together with the wider tourism ecosystem, events like this build alignment around key sector opportunities and foster collaboration toward shared goals, driving our marine industry forward collectively.”
The 2nd Edition of Future of Yachting highlighted the pace of development taking place in Abu Dhabi and the wider opportunities emerging across the MENA leisure marine sector.
For LMA MENA, the focus remains clear: support its members, strengthen industry dialogue and ensure the regional leisure marine community has a strong collective
voice as the sector grows.
LMA MENA extends its appreciation to DCT Abu Dhabi for hosting the event in collaboration with the Association, and to the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi for welcoming the LMA MENA community.
The Association also thanks all speakers, panellists, members, sponsors, strategic partners, media representatives and guests whose participation and support contributed to the success of the second edition.
ABOUT LMA MENA:
The Leisure Marine Association MENA (LMA MENA) represents and connects stakeholders across the leisure marine industry in the Middle East and North Africa.
Through industry representation, knowledge sharing, professional development, strategic partnerships and engagement, LMA MENA works to support its members and contribute to the sustainable growth and international positioning of the regional leisure marine industry.
