Sea: freedom, adventure and passion
The Italians and the maritime industry
One of the most important events for professionals and lovers of the maritime industry is coming soon. The Genoa Boat Show 2009 aims at facing the financial crisis with optimism and at fulfilling the new needs of who loves the sea.
Exposition tendencies confirm the results achieved with the research that Ucina commissioned to the ISPO of Renato Mannheimer, presented on the occasion of the Satec of Venice, titled “The Italians and the maritime industry in time of crisis.”
The survey revealed how the interest for the sea is still deeply entrenched in the heart of the Italians. Despite the crisis Italians still have great interest in boats, for they allow evasion and contact with nature. And if the crisis decreases purchases, then the interest turns to second-hand goods, to renting and co-ownership.
The Italians and the maritime industry at times of crisis.
The passion for the pleasure craft industry, and its entrenched culture and love for the sea and boats, is well alive in Italians’ collective imagination and continues to be associated to the concepts of freedom (42%), adventure (35%) and passion (31%), denying thus the cliché according to which the maritime industry is seen as a status symbol, since only 25% of interviewees think so.
In order not to give up the dream of a boat, even in times of crisis, our fellow countrymen opted for the sharing of property (16%) or as an option, the rent (3%), to continue the experience on the sea, with an awareness that is always more and more environment-friendly. 66% of those sailing the sea is happy of the services offered along Italian coasts, but more than 42% believes that foreign harbours offer more comforts.
The survey was carried out on over a thousand people: on the one side a significant share of the population over 18 living in Italy (about 800) and on the other side over 350 pleasure boaters that is individuals that go sailing at least once or twice a year. The percentage of people that identify the maritime industry with passion and freedom increases to 93% if the targeted audience is that of pleasure boaters. 49% of the latter also declares that during the coming 12 months will go sailing more often.
This trend is also confirmed by the fact that 1/3 of sea lovers wishes and intends to change his own boat within the coming 12 months. This means that passion for pleasure boating is not fading, despite the difficult moment.
However it is essential to face this generalized goods’ crisis, which obviously does involve the maritime industry too, so much so that lovers are taking into consideration alternative ways such as co-ownership and rent: in fact, 1 pleasure boater over 2 owns a boat and 16% owns it in co-ownership with others, whereas 3% chooses to rent it. Moreover, 66% of those who do not own a boat declared they would buy it immediately, though in co-ownership.
The group of those that sail with passion is divided into two when it comes to choosing between the new (45%) and the used (45%).
Moreover, for sea lovers sailing means to be in touch with the nature (93%). Pleasure boaters are increasingly more aware and eco-friendly, considering the reduction in consumption a key characteristic for new boats (32%), so as the use of low-emission engines and the use of eco materials (22%) for the construction of boats, and eventually the marine features of the boat, that is safety (67%).
The Genoa Boat Show will host 450 exhibitors, of which 37% is composed by international ones, 2400 boats, of which 550 on water. Boats that are shorter than 10 metres are make up for the 56% of the total.
Pneumatic boats will be 462. Boats longer than 24 metres will be 76, on which 31 will be over 30 metres long, featuring an average length of 35.41metres.
Alternative propulsions come into being together with key elements such as functionality, reduction of consumption, eco-sustainability that turn into being new exposition trends. We witness an increase in the number of boats that are mostly suitable for family excursions and are easy to handle (daycruisers increase from 15.5 % in 2008 to 20% in 2009, whereas flubridge novelties increase from 2% in 2008 to 14% in this upcoming edition).
Tags: Genoa Boat Show, maritime industry, Renato Mannheimer, Satec of Venice, Ucina
Would you like to keep informed on similar news? Sign up to LuxLetter
Related articles
Receive the latest updates from the luxury world!
