Yacht Sourcing has revealed designs for its Escape Marina Resort in the island of Flores – home of the Komodo Dragons – and expects to break ground in June as the Indonesia-based marine specialist expands its already wide range of services.

Indonesia’s Yacht Sourcing is developing the boutique Escape Marina Resort in Flores

Founded in 2014 by Belgian Boum Senous and Frenchman Xavier Fabre, who heads the company’s representation of Ferretti Yachts, Pershing and Riva in Indonesia, Yacht Sourcing also has its own shipbuilding facility in Sulawesi, which is best known for producing the 55m phinisi Prana launched last year.

Now, as well as selling new and pre-owned yachts and operating the Yacht Sourcing Voyage charter division, the ambitious company is moving into marinas following a partnership with Cedric Le Rest for the creation of the new department.

Originally from Brittany in France, Le Rest spent the best part of the last two decades in the UAE, where he met Fabre when the latter was also working in the emirate.

Le Rest was the Marina Manager at Dubai International Marine Club, worked on the development of the world-famous Palm Islands and was General Manager of Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi, so arrived in Indonesia with plenty of experience.

“I had known Xavier for some time,” Le Rest said. “We met
in Dubai years ago and more recently we had been talking about the possibilities that exist within Indonesia. I was ready for a new challenge. Having been backwards and forwards to Bali, I knew I could live here and that this would be great for my wife and family, too.”

Yacht Sourcing is a dealer for Ferretti Yachts, Pershing and Riva (110′ Corsaro pictured)

Le Rest has so far been spearheading the development of Escape, a boutique marina resort that has been described as “the first of its kind in Indonesia”. The marina resort is situated in Labuan Bajo, a small harbour town on the northwest of Flores where Yacht Sourcing has set up its third office, adding to those in the holiday hot spot of Bali and the capital, Jakarta.

Plans for the marina include a yacht club and berths for 30 yachts from 8-80m (26-262ft), while the resort will include a boutique hotel, a beachfront spa and dozens of luxurious villas, both on the hill and on the water.

Featuring pristine beaches and surrounded by many islands, Flores itself has been touted as the ‘next Bali’ due to its natural attractions and untapped tourism potential, although Komodo National Park itself is popular with visitors. The island is only an hour’s flight from Bali and 2 1⁄2 hours from Jakarta.

The Indonesian government has named Komodo National Park
 as one of its 10 tourism priorities and it has been projected that development in the area could attract around 500,000 tourists in 2019. The current administration also has plans to invest in marinas, but Yacht Sourcing decided to lead the charge with its own development.

Yacht Sourcing has its own shipyard in southeast Sulawesi, where it built the 55m phinisi Prana, launched in 2018

“Escape is going to be our flagship property and we hope to replicate this across Indonesia, so we can create the ultimate destination for superyacht enthusiasts,” Le Rest said. “We are looking at Raja Ampat as the next location and we are also looking at working with the government here in Indonesia because they have projects in Bali, Lombok and Jakarta.

“In eight years, we would like to have 10 properties across Indonesia. All the big yacht owners spend time in the Mediterranean and the Rivera, and generally head to the Caribbean for winter, which they have been doing that for the last 50 years.

“East is the new adventure and the infrastructure to make it possible is happening with a network of marinas across Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore at various stages of development.”

Yacht Sourcing Voyage won Best Asia-Based Charter Company (Phinisi) at the Christofle Yacht Style Awards 2019: Chapter One, which was held at Café Del Mar Phuket in January.

www.yachtsourcing.com

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