Before the trip, I had already been told of the company’s strong family culture. This is thanks to the firm influence of the Vitelli family, namely the boating-obsessed Paolo Vitelli—who founded Azimut in 1969 at age 22, and later acquired Benetti in 1984—and his daughter, Giovanna, the group’s vice president of product and marketing strategy.

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But seeing and believing are two completely different things, so it was still a pleasant surprise to see how close-knit the Azimut Benetti community was, and how the Vitellis were visible and approachable throughout the three days—whether they were enjoying a midday Aperol spritz with clients at the event’s showcase of Azimut’s latest yachts, or welcoming the 700 guests at the entrance of Borgo Egnazia, the awe‑inspiring five-star hotel that served as the backdrop for a spectacular gala dinner on the second night. And boy, do the Vitellis know how to throw a party. 

As guests streamed through the narrow, candlelit paths of Borgo Egnazia and into its main piazza, we were met by a skilled troupe of unicyclists, jugglers, magicians and fire-eaters. Throughout the evening, partygoers were lured to the dance floor by a band of musicians playing a medley of Italian folk music.

Deeper into the night, an after‑party unfolded elsewhere within the hotel’s compounds, where Giovanna joined in the fun dancing to the tunes spun by an international DJ.

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“We want everyone at the Yachting Gala to meet and become friends,” said Giovanna when we spoke. “Also, my father and I have known many of our customers and dealers for a long time that they’ve become our friends. So it’s part of the experience of the gala that my father and I are there to meet them. We’re running a family business after all.”