Yachting in Italy is one of the sectors contributing to the economic recovery. The new edition of the report “Yachting in figures”, produced by the Ufficio Studi of Ucina Confindustria Nautica together with Fondazione Edison and Assilea, records overall turnover for the sector in Italy in 2016 of 3.44 billion Euro, 18.6% up on 2015. The direct workforce increased to 18,480, 1.9% up on the previous year.
The home market for the yachting industry also grew, by 21.8% to a total of 1.15 billion Euro while the internal market of Italian yacht production increased by 24.1%.
Exports were also positive, confirming Italy as the world’s leading yacht exporter. Italy also confirmed its international leadership in the production of super yachts of more than 24 m.
The results in detail
83.4% of the 3.44 billion Euro of turnover came from national production and 16.6% from sales of imported products. National boatbuilding turnover is more than €2.8 billion; 76% of this figure is exported, mostly (67%) to countries outside the European Union. Sales on the home market were worth almost 683 million Euro, with an additional almost 470 million in imported products.
Of the 18,480 workers in the yachting sector, employees total 17,040 (16,750 in the previous year). Almost half are engaged in producing or importing new yachts. There are also 2010 external workers, who work with companies for limited periods of time (about nine months a year).
The turnover in the construction and imports of new yachts in 2016 was close to 2 billion Euro, almost entirely accounted for by home production. On the national market sales were more than 222 million Euro, which when added to 52 million Euro of imports give a total value of turnover in Italy of 274 million Euro. Sales of yachts with inboard, inboard/outboard and hydro jet engines prevail, amounting to about 90% of the overall market at 1.7 billion Euro.
The United States of America are the main importers of yachts and sport boats (sales in the USA were worth 401.6 million Euro, up from 341.2 million Euro the previous year), followed by France (318 million Euro, up from 137.9 million Euro in 2015). Among the main purchasers of Italian yachts outside the European Union are the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands, Hong Kong, Canada and the United Arab Emirates. In Europe, though well behind France, are Malta, the United Kingdom and Spain.
Accessories and services are strategic
The yachting accessories sector, represented mainly by medium and small companies, has a fundamental role in the Italian yachting industry. The turnover of the accessories sector is estimated at more than 1 billion Euro, more than 700 million from national production and almost 280 million from imports.
The engine sector had an estimated turnover for 2016 of almost 290 million Euro, 20% from home production and 80% from imports. This division is unlike that in other sectors of the yachting industry, where the volume created in Italy and the sales income from it are higher than imports. Three quarters of imported engines come from European Union countries and are almost all sold in Italy.
Refitting, repairs and laying up represent a turnover of more than 200 million Euro.
