By Dan Jaspers – International Business Development
Activity in the ‘Rest of the World’ (ROW) territory of RS’s international sales saw another great year in 2019. Along with a number of National and Regional Sailing Associations, Sailing Clubs, Schools as well as Sail Training Programs returning to RS for support with their sailboat-related requirements, we were excited to welcome a number of first-time RS customers.
These new customers included countries such as Qatar and Oman (Gulf region), Bermuda, Puerto Rico and St. Kitts and Nevis (Caribbean), Brazil (South America), French Polynesia and New Caledonia (Oceania), the Seychelles and Mauritius (Africa) and Taiwan and China (Asia).
To support the increase in the number of requests for sailboats originating from customers in the ROW region, RS are pleased to have added new dealers and appointed Brand Ambassadors in the following locations: Israel, Brazil, Vietnam, Bermuda, St. Kitts and Nevis, South Korea and Qatar. We are already in discussion with additional representation in the likes of Costa Rica and Iran to name but a couple.
2019 also saw RS sailing make a commitment to the growth sales within the Superyacht market, something which it is hoped will be supported by an exciting partnership with Superyacht Tenders and Toys, an industry leading Superyacht supply and project management company specialising in the provision of a comprehensive range of water sports-focussed products to its customers and sharing the same ethos as RS Sailing when it comes to areas of sustainability, both in its working practices and in terms of environmental stewardship.
Moving into 2020, RS has some ambitious targets to fulfil and it is forecast that the ROW sector will account for a large percentage of the overall company growth, something that provides an exciting prospect for Dan Jaspers who is responsible for International Business Development at RS. Dan and his growing team of dealers and brand ambassadors will be looking to open up distribution opportunities in a number of nations where RS is currently not well known so, if you think you or someone you know someone that may be interested in being part of this global family then please get in contact with us and we will let you know how to get involved. Contact details are available via our new RS Sailing International website page.
