Spain - background market data

Population — 40.1 million. Language Spanish. Boat ownership per capita estimated at around 1:200.

Currency (Approx) — Euro (E): UK£1= E1.4557, US$1= E0.8469. A relatively strong euro has been reasonably stable against a  weak dollar over the past year.

Government — Centre-right People’s Party. President José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero since April 2004.

Economy — Spain’s economy is in excellent shape. It has been one of the fastest growing in the EU over the past decade. GDP growth for 2004 was around 3.1 per cent, much the same as it was in 2003 and 2005, and as predicted for 2006. Inflation is still high at 3.3 per cent, particularly when compared to the current EU average of 1.9 per cent. Spanish unemployment remains high at 9.9 per cent, but it has been several percentage points higher than that in recent years. EU     member country.

Boating Geography — Spain has a great boating geography, boasting 504,880km2 of land mass and almost 7,880km of generally boating-friendly coastline — more in fact than any other southern European country. And like France, it has both Mediterranean and Atlantic seaboards. It also has a wealth of island territories too — the Balearic Islands 200km or so off the Catalonian coast and the Canaries 1,500km away off the coast of northwest Africa.

Although the Spanish climate is very boating friendly, the country still suffers from too few suitable marinas and berthing-related facilities, although there have been quite a few added in recent years and several more new marina projects are underway in various parts of the country. According to the most recent survey issued last year by the Central Maritime Shipping Agency in association with industry federation ADIN (Association de Industrias Náuticas), there are now around 320 marinas in Spain offering a total of almost 107,000 berths. Almost 85 per cent of all moorings are on the Mediterranean coast. But regardless of the actual numbers, everyone is agreed that the industry needs a lot more marinas and a lot more berths.

Boat Park — The total Spanish boat park is believed to be around 240,000. That gives a boat-ownership figure per capita of 167. Throughout Spain the power/sail split is thought to be around 85/15 in favour of power.

Industry Body — ADIN (Asociación de Industrias Comercio y Servicios Náuticos), Feira de Barcelona, Avda Reina M Cristina s/n, 08004 Barcelona, Spain. Tel: +34 93 233 24 32. Fax: +34 93 233 24 33. ICOMIA member.  E-mail: info@adin-scs.es. Contact: President, Miguel Company.

Key Boat Shows (3)

• Salón Náutico (Barcelona International Boat Show). Usually held annually in November. Normally attracts around 450 exhibitors and 165,000 visitors at both indoor and in-water sites.

• Madrid Boat Show. Usually held annually in late March/early April. Normally attracts 160 exhibitors and 30,000 or so visitors.

• Salón Náutico Internacional de

Palma de Mallorca (Palma de Mallorca International Boat Show).  Held in late April/early May. Attracts 150 exhibitors and 30,000 visitors.