Last year was challenging for the Finnish boating sector, but sales remain strong due to robust exports of larger yachts
Storms darkened the forecasts of many UK marine businesses over the past year, thanks to unseasonable weather in 2023 and metaphorically due to political upheaval within an end-of-term parliament and stubbornly high interest rates.
Both the Swedish and especially the Norwegian boating markets have been hit hard in recent years by the economic downturn.
The Spanish leisure marine market is showing signs of stabilisation in 2024 following several years of accelerated growth.
It has been a good 2024 so far for the Portuguese market, with business levels even up on 2023, a year labelled as the country’s “best ever” by CEO of Marlagos and vice president of the Portuguese Marina Association (APPR), Martinho Fortunato.
After a number of years marked by robust growth, Poland’s boat industry, along with counterparts across Europe, hit choppier waters in 2023. Local builders have adapted to the difficult market situation by reducing their boat ranges to focus on bestselling craft, and introducing larger yachts to their ranges.
The Norwegian boat market has been hit almost more by the tougher economics than its neighbour Sweden, despite the strong oil economy and the country’s massive oil fund.
Dutch watersports and recreation lobby, HISWA-RECRON, is reporting a mixed picture for the Netherlands in 2024.
Despite weakness in small-boat sales, the Italian boating sector is looking towards another decent year, while also waiting for some clarity about where the market might go after the major boat shows in the autumn.
In Ireland, it seems that all aspects of life are dependent on the weather. That’s particularly true of boating, when a bad spring and summer, such as this year’s, are having an impact on the industry’s bottom line. While the Irish Marine Federation doesn’t report annual revenues, different sectors are ...
Whether sailboats or motorboats, all segments of the German marine market were down in 2023 and business is still very poor. “Sometimes you even hear of boats being sold below cost, which companies claim is a way of securing their liquidity.
It is a case of when, not if, the French market rallies after a disappointing Q1 forced many in the industry to modify their expectations for the year ahead.
A mid a year they describe as slow and stagnant, Czech boating industry representatives hope that 2025 brings the much-expected interest rate cuts that could reinvigorate the market. Jan Wolf, president of the Czech boating industry association APL, told IBI that, over the past year, local builders, dealers and yacht ...
The US builder will service yachts from its yard in Anacortes, Washington
The marine charts were specifically designed for the South African coastline
Collaboration will see the Klipsch audio brand available for retail purchase
Ben Willis appointed head of leisure and commercial (UK & IE) sales
Fabien Lecuona will spearhead UK design firm’s growth across the region
Claudia and Jörg Adamczyk have left their managerial roles after 20 years
Optimism and confidence defy a tough market at North America’s largest boat industry trade event
Mary Velline shares her initial impressions with IBI as the show wound down on Thursday
This marks the fourth dedicated centre for recycling end-of-life pleasure boats to launch in France this year