Representatives from the three top Chinese boating magazines were touring five Maine boatyards August 14-18, part of a six-day visit intended to promote Maine boatbuilding, marine businesses, Maine tourism, and Maine food and lodging.
MaineAsia, LLC, a Portland-based strategic advisory firm headed by former gubernatorial candidate Eliot Cutler, and the Sabre Yachts Corporation sponsored the tour by writers and officials from The Hurun Report, China Yachting and Boat Exclusive. The Chinese visitors were touring Sabre's boatbuilding facility in South Casco, Hodgdon Yachts' yard in East Boothbay, Back Cove Yachts' boatbuilding center in Rockland, Morris Yachts in Bass Harbor, and the Hinckley Company's boatbuilding operations in Southwest Harbor and Trenton. In addition to the tours, the activities that Sabre and MaineAsia arranged for the journalists included lobstering in Boothbay, a dinner aboard one of Maine's windjammers, a tour of Acadia National Park and Mt. Desert Island, and opportunities to watch Maine-built boats race in the MS Regatta and in the Casco Bay Lobster Boat Races.
"We can visit China and tell the story of Maine all we want, but nothing can match the impressions that we can make by bringing the Chinese to Maine to see firsthand how we build boats and why Maine is such a great place to visit," Cutler said.
The Hurun Report is one of China's leading publishing and events groups, best known for its stable of four luxury magazines and its annual "Hurun Rich List," which ranks China's wealthiest individuals.
China Yachting is one of China's oldest, biggest and most prestigious boating magazines. The publisher has partnered in sponsoring many of China's largest boat shows.
Boat Exclusive is the first European yacht magazine published in China.
The tour comes during the busiest few weeks in Maine's boating season, at least in terms of the public's opportunity to see and meet the state's boatbuilders, beginning with the Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors Show August 10-12 in Rockland and the Open Boatyard Days August 13-14, and concluding with the Penobscot Bay Rendezvous August 16-19.
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