Where is demand concentrated—and which regional comparisons are misleading?
The Mediterranean remains central, but destination rankings depend on the observed fleet and booking cut-off. IYC’s July 27, 2026 update placed the East Mediterranean at 45% and West Mediterranean at 39% of summer bookings, with Greece at 28%. Burgess reported approximately two-thirds of its summer 2026 bookings in the West Mediterranean as of July 24. (iyc.com)
These are not necessarily contradictory. They describe different observed businesses or datasets, and neither establishes the destination distribution of US family-office buyers specifically. Do not combine them into a single market-share chart. (iyc.com)
For the desk’s target buyers, use regional data to frame questions rather than select a destination automatically:
| Buyer brief | Recommended procurement emphasis |
|---|---|
| Bahamas family holiday | Compare yachts against the actual route, guest allocation and total operating budget; obtain itinerary-specific tax confirmation. |
| Caribbean festive or school-holiday trip | Request written confirmation of the exact dates, minimum duration, embarkation port and applicable seasonal rate. |
| Mediterranean summer arranged by a family office | Keep euro-denominated costs visible; compare tax, delivery and itinerary assumptions before converting the approval budget into dollars. |
| Flexible repeat charterer | Ask for alternative date windows and positioning-compatible itineraries, while retaining the same suitability requirements. |
These are desk recommendations, not claims that one region is universally cheaper or easier to book.