The Gold Coast’s fine weather allows extended months of the year for boating whether as a physical activity or social relaxation. Immediate access to coastal and inland waterways makes boating a popular pastime.
People
Australians are a coastal people, known worldwide for our leisure and lifestyle, leading what is widely termed a “Mediterranean” lifestyle with our alfresco-designed homes and cuisine, and culture influenced by our attachment to the sea. An interesting point is that 10 percent of overnight accommodation stays are booked by people on a boating adventure.
There are approximately one million boats registered in Australia and 30,000 new boats are registered every year. There are one million Australians with a boat license. One in five Australians claim to be boaties, with one in 23 having access to a boat. There are 25 percent of the Australian population who claim to go boating—that is 5.8 million boaties! In the state of Queensland, 34 percent of the population go boating.
Industry
The marine industry in Australia is estimated to be worth $8 billion, with an export portion of around $1 billion. More than 3,500 marine businesses are involved that employ 28,000 people.
The Gold Coast is the key national centre for manufacturing of marine crafts. The city’s boat building industry is estimated at $330 million and directly involving more than 450 marine companies.
Boat Sales
Most boat buyers are relatively of mature age and have families. The largest demographic of buyers are 45-48 years old, usually with two children.
In terms of boat use, more than 70 percent of boats are used for some form of fishing.
For searches via the internet, online boat sales search statistics report that 64 percent of searches are conducted by people over 45 years of age, with 80 percent of searches requested by males.
The way we search online for boats has also changed over the years with mobile applications being our preferred method, followed by desktop computer. The least common is tablet search.
(Summarised from data collected during the Marine15 Conference.)
By Andy Kancachian
