The nautical industry appears to have emerged from the pandemic in very healthy condition, especially in regions like the Balearics which this summer welcomed back a host of regular visiting super yachts and a number of new ones, some of the largest and most advanced in the world.
But, super yachts aside, the nautical industry as a whole has enjoyed welcome growth.
“This nautical season has been one of the best in many years, the turnover of 2019 has been surpassed, with a 13% growth in recreational boat registrations, up to the end of September. The sector is in good health and boating is booming worldwide with Spain very much at the forefront of the trend,” Carlos Sanlorenzo, secretary general of ANEN (the Spanish Association of Nautical Companies) said.
From January to the end of September this year, 6,258 recreational boats have been registered in Spain, compared to the 5,525 registered in the same period in 2019 and the 4,786 recorded in 2020 at the height of the pandemic. Of the total number of registered registrations, 70.4% correspond to boats for private use and 29.6% to boats for nautical charter.
2022 forecast
Nautical tourism is facing the best growth forecast since before the 2008 financial crisis.
“The forecast for the 2022 season is very encouraging and nautical tourism has grown the most over the past two years and we hope to soon recover the flow of foreign tourists and overcome the current lack of supplies, which is causing delays in deliveries of pleasure boats in certain markets, to meet the growing demand,” added Carlos Sanlorenzo.
One of the main reasons for growth in the nautical sector has been the pandemic.
This season in the Balearics, the charter industry has reported a significant increase in businesses while, according to Sanlorenzo, interests and businesses at the various nautical fairs in Spain, such as the one in Palma, indicate that interest in owning a boat is also growing.
This is because people are valuing their private space more than ever before, the increase in demand holiday property rental market is further proof how people’s holiday and free time habits have changed and the nautical industry is providing people with a host of options of how to remain in a bubble while on holiday or a day out.