Marine associations call for an industrial policy around nautical tourism
Italian marine and tourism organisations have called for stronger infrastructure, better services and simpler regulation to capture more of the value generated by nautical tourism. The proposals were presented during the 12th National Conference on Coastal and Maritime Tourism at the Genoa International Boat Show.
The meeting brought together Confindustria Nautica, Federturismo Confindustria and Assomarinas together with other industry bodies and government representatives. Tourism minister Gianmarco Mazzi said several of the industry’s requests appeared straightforward and highlighted simpler rules and reduced bureaucracy as priorities to examine.
New analysis values nautical tourism at €5.7 billion
A Deloitte study prepared for Confindustria Nautica estimates the economic impact of nautical tourism in Italy at €5.7 billion. Around €2.1 billion of that total comes from visitor spending ashore, showing why marinas and yacht traffic matter well beyond berth revenue alone.
Industry representatives also reported average growth of 2.9% in demand for permanent berths, alongside increasing superyacht presence and international charter traffic. Refit, storage, haul-out and launch activity are also rising around the marina network.
Marina capacity and regulation could determine future growth
Confindustria Nautica argues that Italy needs better integration between ports and surrounding destinations if it wants to retain a larger share of owner and charter spending. The association is also calling for updated marina legislation and policies that support year-round tourism rather than concentrating demand into the summer season.
The figures reinforce the economic importance of superyacht and charter traffic to coastal communities. The next challenge is converting that demand into investment in berths, technical services and transport links that allow yachts to stay longer and spend more within the local economy.