The Salzburg startup is trying to rethink the yacht market with a b2b hotel concept.
“I wanted to pass on to families the good times and the feeling of light-heartedness that I felt as a child,” says Selina Schwarzenbacher, founder of EuroYachting. She was an avid sailor from a young age and spent a lot of time with her family on her uncle’s boat.
EuroYachting: Stranig on board
The path to EuroYachting ultimately started with her bachelor’s thesis, where she explored the perception of sailing and Generation Z.
“In the course of this, I discovered the great potential for sailing tourism, and during a mentoring program with Thomas Stranig, CEO of BWS Invest, the vision of passing on to families the same experience I had as a child became more and more concrete,” she says, describing her motivation as Founder.
Her goal was and still is to create a disruption in the market by combining yacht charter with hotel business. “On September 20, I introduced Familux Yachts – a few weeks later Florian and Julian Mayer were on board. Not only as the first Signature Partner, but also as co-founders and investors. The name EuroYachting has remained, a small homage to my uncle,” Schwarzenbacher continues.
Travel for premium hotels
The startup organizes and services, according to its own definition: “Yacht trips for hotel brands in the premium segment that have established a strong brand, are open to new things and think innovatively.”
By having the skipper on board share his nautical knowledge with the guests, another trend is fulfilled, the so-called education experience, he says. It describes the desire to learn something new while on vacation. Furthermore the aspect of the lastingness is taken up also, since with the correct wind conditions also without engine one sails.
EuroYachting divides its offer into three different packages, from which the hotel customers can select, which cover the entire planning and organization. This includes, for example, the selection of the appropriate yacht and sailing area, the organization of staff, activities for guests, catering on board and after-sales goodies, as well as branding materials for the yacht (inside and outside).
Special brand experiences
In addition, the service includes on-site support, advice on marketing activities and the organization of a test week. The sale of the “floating hotel rooms,” however, is up to the hoteliers, who can or should use their existing sales channels for this purpose.
For Schwarzenbacher, hoteliers not only expand their existing product portfolio with their EuroYachting GmbH concept, but would offer guests special brand experiences that lead to increased desirability as well as a larger customer base, according to her pitch. Last but not least, the opportunity for existing and potential employees to work on a yacht by the week is an “attractive factor,” they said.
The foundress was able to win the aforementioned Familux Resorts as her first hotel customer. Since June 2021, the “Familux One” has been setting sail: “With Familux Yachts, we have succeeded in broadening our (hotel) horizons and bringing our guests closer to our world of values in a new way in one of the most beautiful regions of Europe,” says Managing Director Florian Mayer.
Over winter to the Caribbean
Since full-service yachting is feasible worldwide, Schwarzenbacher says there are many interesting regions that can be tapped. For example, the Caribbean during the winter months. Work is currently underway to expand the concept for 2023.