Creating visibility in Europe for the boating industry
Philip Easthill has spent the last 4 years at the head of European Boating Industry (EBI), having, via a dedicated strategy, successfully managed to increase the relevance and visibility of the recreational boating and nautical tourism industry in Europe.
We know that are far as marinas are concerned, there are still different business classifications as either tourism or maritime transport. How do you define the industry?
We have a catch-all and refer to the “recreational boating and nautical tourism industry”. Within the term “recreational boating” we group production and manufacturing of boats, engines, etc., together with dealers, distributors, and services. Nautical tourism then corresponds to waterside activity: marinas, boat rental and in certain cases, refit, and maintenance.
Why is it interesting to consider the industry from a European standpoint?
For three reasons, really: firstly, since it is a key boating region and in terms of nautical tourism, industry, and production, considered the second most important region globally after the US. Secondly, within Europe, there’s a fair amount of regulatory convergence due to the work of the EU, so we advance together, rather than individually. Finally, because Europe is the first region in the world that is moving substantially and effectively towards net zero by 2050.
Very simply, what are the ways in which the boating industry benefits the EU?
I’d start with manufacturing (#MadeinEurope is part of our mission statement), since compared with the maritime industry, where almost all of production is moved outside of Europe, there is a vast amount of production of boats, engines, etc. in Europe with the accompanying level of quality and sustainability values associated with the European brand. The tourism aspect is also highly relevant since whereas thousands disembark from a cruise ship, nautical tourism brings just a handful of people to a destination, but they can have high expenditure. They stay for longer and attractive marinas can also support or enhance wider coastal or inland tourism strategies.
Another aspect corresponds to the economic benefits, in terms of jobs and growth, added value, and the benefit to local enterprises and the surrounding locality. Recreational boating contributes to sport and active leisure and is recognised as having a positive effect on mental health. Beyond this, there’s greater environmental awareness and where promoted, ocean literacy development.
How do you see the challenges in creating visibility for the industry?
Creating a position for the industry requires as much unity as possible in order to do our best to reconcile the differences between various countries and regions. National entities work best in this regard under a unified representative body as the time has passed for companies or regional groups to operate in silos. Better harmonisation in all regards helps us to both define and measure the industry more effectively.
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There’s a bureaucratic problem in that the industry codification needs to be better defined and so we need to be ready for this next time there is a revision, in 2024. We also come up against the issue that our industry just isn’t a priority when it comes to matters such as the EU Taxonomy for example. We worked very hard to position the industry, but then it was made clear to us that compared with agriculture or mining, industries that demand greater attention both as big employers and high known emitters of GHG gases and which might not be investing sufficiently in climate adaptation and circular models, we simply don’t take precedence. This could of course well work in our favour as we continue to develop sustainability objectives, pre-empting tighter controls. We have some decent information about CO² emissions at least for the category of boats under 24m, corresponding to 0.4% of CO² emissions in Europe. This is less than 0.1 of all emissions. This figure will change however as others reduce their emissions, so we can’t afford to sit back.
There are a number of regulatory roadblocks in our industry, which we’re trying to tackle now within EBI. Beyond the pending revision to the Recreational Craft Directive, there are matters such as VAT, statistical codes, and qualification recognition, and we can only gain traction there if we have visibility, otherwise we won’t be heard.
How have you met the various challenges?
We organise events to try to get more exposure for the industry. Last year we were able to speak in Parliament with a group of 5 experienced representatives, outlining where funding was required. This was a major achievement and a first for EBI. We have spoken at other events with members of the European commission in the audience and that gives us a lot of limelight. We bring MEPs, Ministers, and Commission representatives to boot Düsseldorf, showcasing the industry and introducing them to exhibiting companies. The Blue Innovation Dock was an opportunity create a prominent discussion forum about pertinent topics and for the next event we’re planning to make this even more down to earth and practical.
One of the other key tasks in lobbying is translating EU information into useful and meaningful messaging for our industry. We all need to know in which direction the EU is moving, because decisions will be made that impact the industry and regulatory environment. We then act as an intermediary, selecting useful data and communicating this to our members and the wider boating industry via reports, webinars, and our newsletters. Vice-versa, we are also collating and analysing information from marinas so that we can help define problems and develop solutions together with policymakers in Brussels and elsewhere. That’s why this information flow, both top-down and bottom-up is so important.
All this requires building a supporting infrastructure of allies and partners. This is a question of identifying potential partners, having meetings, and explaining our industry to the right people who can take those decisions with us. We’re now active in various big formal and informal industry coalitions to this end.
What can individual marinas or smaller groups do to help?
Beyond joining a national association and through that, EBI, as a means of promoting a sustainable sector, every marina should have some sort of environmental certification — with the Blue Flag as a minimum. There needs to be coherence between what we are aiming for and the consumer experience on the ground. When an MEP or policy maker — or just a member of the public goes to a marina, they need to come away with a positive image.
It’s of course worth investing some time and effort individually in learning about relevant developments at EU level. We have EU elections in June 2024, so citizens in the industry are going to be electing the next parliament. The next legislator will be much more important, with big decisions being made for our sector. Contact the candidates and communicate our interests and objectives.
We should take some time to consider the role for the boating industry in the future, as the business model will change substantially. Now, in such turbulent times, we need to think where we want to be in 2030/2035 and the steps needed to get there. How can we define our vision? Obvious routes include a scenario that is net zero, digital and resilient. These are big milestones requiring significant investment.
We also need to make boating more inclusive and accessible. We’re working with new demographics and yet the customer base remains predominantly white and male. Access to boats is important so we can start reaching out to schools and community sectors that tend to be excluded. The perception is also important: when a marina isn’t accessible (due, for example, to safety concerns on pontoons), the view from a distance is of superyachts rather than a 5m sailing boat, which is not a balanced representation. We can’t encourage engagement if boats remain out of reach.
Another hurdle is of course the cost of boating, with a 20% increase in price in recent years due to inflation, importation prices and supply chain complications. Further to that, to become more sustainable, the relevant adaptations will only add more to the price tag. Perhaps we need to expand our vision beyond boating and focus more about watersports as an entry point.
One activity we could all get behind would be an annual European Marina Open Day. This would go a long way to increase visibility, encourage newcomers across Europe to try boating, forge a European identity, and explore some of the many additional values that boating has to offer.
