​A healthy representation of Spanish ports present their options at the Boot Düsseldorf Fair, the largest European event dedicated to nautical sports and yachting

Spain offers more than 105,000 berths for yachts

• Yachting generates more than 110,000 jobs and contributes 0.7% of national GDP
• Investments in passenger facilities and Port-City relations will amount to more than €345 million
  
   

23-01-2018 (Ministry of Public Works). A Spanish delegation, led by Puertos del Estado, will be present at the largest European event dedicated to the marinas and yachting sector, "Boot Düsseldorf". The "Ports of Spain" stand will be attended by the ports of A Coruña, Balearic Islands, Las Palmas, and Melilla, as well as the Agrupación de Puertos Deportivos de Valencia, the Yacht Port Cartagena, and the Suncruise Association, which comprises the seven Port Authorities of Andalusia.

Marinas and yachting facilities located at State ports offer close to one third of the more than 105,000 berths that exist on Spanish coasts. On the other hand, focusing on a sector that has been booming recently, that of mega-yachts, it has been established that of the 27 Spanish facilities that admit long-length vessels, half are located at ports of general interest.

According to recent studies, yachting (construction, repair, associated industry and services) contributes approximately 0.7% of national GDP and over 110,000 jobs (direct and indirect), and it is a sector capable of generating knock-on effects in the economy, meaning more than €4 and seven job posts are generated via indirect and knock-on effect for every €1/job post created. This sector is an incredibly important element within Spain's economic development, which is largely linked to another key industry in our economy: tourism and leisure.

• "ENJOY SPAIN'S MARINAS: RIGHT TO THE HEART OF TOWN"

Like the success obtained with the slogan "Blue Carpet: Step Into Spain Through World Class Ports", which has consolidated the international image of Spain in the cruise industry, by attending this fair Puertos del Estado is backing promotion of the Spanish yachting sector, extolling its global brand via the claims "Enjoy Spain's Marinas: Right to the Heart of Town" and "Top Marina Services in Harmony with Commercial Ports".

The existence of yachting zones is key at Spanish ports, as their facilities play a crucial role in the transition spaces between citizen areas and commercial ports, and these spaces are extremely necessary to guarantee suitable management and overlapping of city and port interests.

• 10% OF PORT INVESTMENTS WILL BE DEDICATED TO PASSENGER TRAFFIC AND PORT-CITY RELATIONS

To achieve this objective, the state port system has worked on different areas, including important public investments as well as institutional and financial support for the development of large sporting events, but the key channel has been the creation of a regulatory framework that has stimulated the development of significant investment projects, such that, in general, this type of facilities are developed and used by private companies.

In the period 2017-2021 port investments will amount to €3.458 million, of which €284 million will be set aside for passenger traffic facilities, and €61.77 million will be used for Port-City relations, all of which means more than 10% of port investments will be dedicated to this sector in some manner.

Generally speaking, the measures implemented in the scope of yachting have basically sought to reduce tax burdens; to preserve the practice of this activity in the segment that has the most users but which has the lowest economic capacity; to take into consideration the specific nature of not-for-profit organisations (sailing clubs); and to promote good environmental practices.