Boating, superyachts do well in 2025, small ones slow down
Confindustria nautica forecast analysis shows positive signs of recovery for 2026-2027
Key points
The year 2025 is drawing to a close with lights and shadows for the Italian yachting industry. If, for large yachts, half of the companies expect a growth in turnover, for companies building yachts under 24 metres, forecasts of shrinking revenues prevail, which are also reflected in dealers' expectations. On the other hand, leases and charters are on the rise. And, for the two-year period 2026-2027, positive signals came from the autumn boat shows.
The data were illustrated during the Confindustria nautica assembly, held in Rome, and are the result of a forecast analysis of the sector's trend, carried out by the association's research office on the basis of a survey conducted in the first week of December on a large sample of member companies.
Among the big ones, 50 per cent expect sales to grow
The report shows that the superyacht industry closes the calendar year 2025 with 50% of companies expecting growth in turnover compared to the previous year and 25% expecting stability. "Analysing the performance of the current orderbook," it reads, "the normalisation of growth rates is confirmed, with half of the shipyards maintaining their orderbooks at the same levels as 12 months ago and a quarter with growing figures. This trend is confirmed by the anticipations provided by Boat international on the Global order book 2026, which, against a reduction in world orders from 1,138 to 978, sees the Italian share growing by almost three percentage points, to 53%".
As far as shipbuilding production up to 24 metres is concerned, estimates for 2025 see "a contraction in turnover for 54% of the sample - with reduction forecasts ranging from -5% to more than -30% - stability for 23%" of respondents and "growth for 23%, mirroring the situation already seen in 2024. The trends for the nautical year 2025-2026 (which runs from August to September, ndr) are instead more positive, with 46% of companies forecasting growth, 31% stability, and 23% predicting a drop in business volume".
Sales networks in trouble
The trend of units up to 24 metres "is confirmed," explains the report, "by data from the pleasure boat sales networks. Faced with a 2025 that closes with negative forecasts for 62% of the sample and in stability for the remaining 38%, operators have better expectations for the current boating year: the share of the sample confirming negative estimates drops to 37%, against the 50% that foresees stability and the 13% that sees a trend reversal, with growth in turnover figures".
