According to data from Click & Boat (www.clickandboat.com), the main online platform for booking pleasure boats, Spain has great potential as a nautical destination, not only among international travellers, but also among the Spanish, who have chosen the Balearics as the star destination of this summer.
Having analysed the pleasure boat rental market, they have concluded that the Balearics is the main destination for domestic travellers who are looking for plans and activities related to sailing. The breakdown of their reservations shows: domestic travellers – 85%: followed by visitors from Italy (5%), Croatia (4%), France (3%) and Greece (2%). Spanish users tend to choose national destinations based on ease of accessibility, familiar navigation routes and of course the language is an important element in the choice.
The best sellers are undoubtedly motorboats 53% and sailing yachts (31%) followed by catamarans (10%), and inflatable boats/Ribcrafts (6%) for sailing along the coasts and marinas, from one day up to one week. According to Click&Boats´ Sales Manager, this distribution of the volume of transactions by vessel type is quite representative of the demand of Spanish users. In fact, motorboats and sailing yachts are the most requested in the domestic market.
May is the month most people choose to plan their holidays and this is shown in the largest number of boat reservations for the Spanish coasts, which travellers will enjoy between the months of July and August, although there are also last minute bookings with less than a week’s notice, and even days or hours before sailing. Spanish travellers prefer to book for sailing periods of between one day and one week, while foreign travellers usually book for up to two weeks.
The Balearics is the principle destination in Spain for 38% of Spanish and foreigner visitors who have sailing as their principal motivation for their holidays followed by Barcelona or Denia, as well as Split (Croatia) or Athens (Greece) in the rest of Europe. The reservations for this destination (Balearics) are concentrated principally in Ibiza, Palma and Menorca.
Spain is a perfect destination for travellers who love sailing – the diversity of its coasts, its excellent value for money and the complementary offers in gastronomy, leisure and heritage make this country one of our main markets, with great potential to develop specific nautical products for these travellers, who have a profile of spending, and the duration of their stays being greater than the average tourists says Click&Boats’ Marketing Manager for Spain.
With thanks to MARES Nautical Magazine (revistamares.com) for the accompanying graphics.
