More than 40% of companies in the Spanish nautical sector state that they have increased their reven

To understand the vision and cyclical forecasts of the companies operating in the nautical sector, the sector's trade association, ANEN, has initiated, in collaboration with the Chair of Sports at the Polytechnic University of Valencia, the Study on the cyclical perception of companies in the nautical sector in Spain.

The study aims to approximate the economic reality of the nautical sector based on indicators such as income, employment, investment, factors hindering company development, etc., and is compiled using survey methodology. The first of these surveys, which will be conducted semi-annually, corresponds to the first half of 2024 and involved companies from ten sectors (marinas, charter, recreational and sport boat manufacturing, consultancy and management, accessories, new boats, second-hand, nautical schools, and engines), located in the Autonomous Communities of Andalusia, Asturias, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, Galicia, Catalonia, Madrid, Murcia, Basque Country, and Valencian Community.

Among the indicators surveyed from the companies is income. The responses reveal that 41.7% of the participating companies increased their income in the first half of 2024, especially those headquartered in Madrid and Catalonia. 28.3% of the companies claim to have maintained their income, and 30% have decreased it, mainly companies based in Andalusia.

Regarding employment, most companies report that the number of workers on their payroll has remained stable in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period of the previous year, with a slight upward variation in those companies that have increased their income.

By subsectors, the companies dedicated to the activity of selling new boats are the ones that have proportionally experienced the highest rate of income decrease, while marinas are the ones that claim to have increased their income the most.

Furthermore, the companies' forecasts for 2025 are evenly split between those that respond affirmatively to the question of whether they will increase their income and those that foresee a decline, with larger companies believing they have a worse economic growth outlook.

In the same vein (worse economic prospects) are the participating companies in the survey that belong to the subsectors of recreational boat construction and new boat sales.

Regarding employment (hiring of new employees), 75% of the companies participating in the study respond that they do not plan to make new hires, while 20.8% believe they will increase their staff, mainly larger companies based in Madrid.

There are also significant differences by subsector regarding hiring forecasts. Specifically, the subsector of recreational and sports companies expects a greater expansion of their staff.