What is driving the disappearance of young people from the boating scene?

Is the marina industry facing a serious problem?

12/09/2017NIBS 2017

The boat owner population is getting older and it seems that less youngsters get involved. Efforts are being made by international and local federations to make boating popular with a number of very engaged teenagers. Many of these young people thoroughly enjoy the time they spend on the water, yet between the ages of 18-35, a huge number are disappearing from the sport! So why is this? To answer that question we need to take a look at the various motivations driving this drop-off. Little or no money to pay for the sport? A lack of clear pathways into bigger boating? Dividing time over different activities at that age? Are activities offered by clubs not appealing to youngsters?

When youngsters become more interested in boating, we will automatically increase their interest in the marine industry and also make them consider working in it. An industry where work skills and lifestyle intermingle. It is up to the industry to make some changes. It’s needed right now!

VVW-Nieuwpoort, hosting partner for the Nieuwpoort International Boat Show (www.nibs.be), Belgium’s largest in water boat show on the 20th, 21st and 22nd of October in Nieuwpoort, invites you to be part of a platform where marinas and partners can present and exchange their ideas and efforts to each other.

Let’s talk about how we can work closer together to secure our business for the future. How can we as industry partners make a change? What can we do as marinas? What is being done at the moment? Let’s make a change!

Join us on the afternoon of the 20th of October 2017!

We would like to invite you to be part of the panel on Friday 20th of October and give a small presentation (10-15 minutes max.) sharing your experiences/ efforts. In this way we can all learn from each other. The meeting will take place between 2 and 5 pm local time at the VVW-Nieuwpoort Euromarina.

Thank you for confirming your presence to steven@vvwnieuwpoort.be so we can send out a detailed list of topics in advance.