Andalusian marinas are expecting a record summer

Nautical tourism is on the rise and Andalusian marinas are going to benefit from this. Data from the association of Andalusian marinas (Marinas de Andalucía) forecasts a record summer in which some of these facilities will be fully booked.

The association says that most members expect an occupancy rate of between 85% and 100%, reflecting the good health of nautical tourism in the region and the important role played by these marinas, which have more than 9,000 moorings along the Andalusian coast.

Manuel Raigón, president of Marinas de Andalucía, said, "The forecasts for this summer are very positive and confirm the good moment our ports are going through. Both the level of occupancy forecast and the diversity of visitors reflect the international attraction of our coast and the quality of the services we offer."

On the rise of the nautical sector, they point to the momentum of the yacht charter business that continues to grow steadily in Andalusian ports. According to data collected by Marinas de Andalucia, most of the associated marinas have between five and fifteen active yacht charter companies, although in some specific cases the figure is even higher, exceeding one hundred.

"This trend confirms chartering as an increasingly common option for those who wish to enjoy the sea without the need to own a boat," they point out, explaining that the profile of this client is more of a young person who is encouraged to obtain their sailing licence to rent a boat for a few days with their friends or family. "It is a simple and accessible way to live the nautical experience," Raigón explained.

In terms of the visitor profile arriving at Andalusian leisure ports, he said that these are mainly Spanish, British and French tourists, although there is a greater presence of Germans and Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and the United States are new growing markets.

"This diversity reflects the international appeal of the Andalusian coast and the positioning of the ports of Marinas de Andalucía as benchmark destinations for seafarers," he explained, adding that an intense daily activity is expected in the associated ports, registering an average of eight to nine boats, although some sites reach 20 and up to 40 berths per day. For their part, the average duration of the short stays visiting the ports varies between two and four days.

As for the types of boats, they point out that motor boats predominate, although sailboats and catamarans are also very common, especially among those who sail along the coast with family or friends.

Marinas de Andalucía, which brings together facilities such as Marina El Rompido, Puerto Sherry, Alcaidesa Marina, Puerto Sotogrande, La Duquesa, Real Club Náutico Estepona, Puerto Deportivo Estepona, Puerto Banús, Puerto Deportivo Marbella, Fuengirola, Benalmádena, IGY Málaga Marina, Club El Candado, Marina del Este, Marina Motril, Puerto Deportivo Almerimar, Aguadulce and Club Náutico de San José, said: "To cope with the high demand, many ports have already planned reinforcements in their teams, especially in seamanship, customer service, security, surveillance or water maintenance, with the aim of ensuring a quality experience for all visitors and users."