Marinas: turnover expected to rise in 2027

The outlook for Italy’s tourist marinas looks promising, both for 2027 and, according to Assomarinas president Roberto Perocchio, ‘for the next five years’. The Confindustria association representing marinas dedicated to recreational boating has just compiled its 2026 survey of the sector, which includes forecasts for next year and which *Il Sole 24 Ore* is able to reveal in advance.

As regards the 2026 outlook for permanent moorings, turnover is up by 2.96 per cent compared with 2025, driven by a positive trend in the superyacht market, according to the study, as superyachts increase their presence along the Italian coast. A further increase of 1.36 per cent is expected for 2027: a stabilisation in demand for permanent moorings, due to the decline in new boat sales. As regards transient moorings, 2026 saw a 4.36 per cent increase; Assomarinas notes a levelling off in the number of small and medium-sized vessels, but an increase in larger vessels, which has driven the overall growth in turnover for that service. Forecasts for 2027 point to a rise of as much as 7.43 per cent, linked primarily to boat charter and international superyachts.

This year, explains Perocchio, “turnover has grown again, by almost 3 per cent, for permanent moorings, which are the core business for most marinas”. The less marked growth forecast for 2027 is due, he says, to the fact that “we have reached saturation point in existing marinas and there is little more that can be done. Moreover, work has already begun on the construction of new facilities (around 20,000 berths are planned over the next 10 years, editor’s note). These include Portus Karalis (Cagliari), which is almost ready, the project for Sanremo’s Old Port, which is just getting under way; the Marina Arcipelago Toscano, which is working on doubling its berths; Molo Brin in Olbia, which is currently under construction; and so on; in short, there are many projects in the pipeline’.

As for moorings for passing vessels, ‘the forecast there, in terms of turnover, is strong (+7.43 per cent), because there are indeed positive expectations, not so much from small and medium-sized domestic boats, which have suffered somewhat from fuel costs, but rather from the charter of sailing catamarans or various other vessels, ranging from high-end superyachts to more affordable options, the latter of which is driven by a broad base of European customers. These visits, in fact, are not just domestic, but include, for example, Germans who might hire a sailing boat or catamaran; and who, therefore, having a boat to use for a week, visit multiple destinations. So we’re not talking about a domestic customer who keeps their boat in Porto Rotondo, uses it to go for a swim and then returns; we’re talking about boats that are constantly on the move, because they have to visit Naples, Sicily, the Pontine Islands and keep travelling back and forth.”

In short, says Perocchio, ‘charter holidays are very popular and continue to be so, even though there has been a slight oversupply and prices have had to be adjusted slightly. It remains, however, a very modern concept: it’s the pay-per-use model – the sharing economy – which is, of course, very cost-effective. Whilst owning a boat remains a lifelong dream, the sharing economy means you only have to bear a small portion of the boat’s maintenance costs, whilst enjoying the great advantage of freely exploring the most beautiful places in the world and, above all, the Mediterranean’.