Enrolment figures in the band from 8 to 12 meters the least damaged (Photo Pedro Seoane)

The nautical market continues to fall as a result of the health crisis in the Covit-19. In the month of May, at the very beginning of the nautical season, the data continue with alarming falls in the number of enrolments: -54.16% in the month of May and -43.23% in the cumulative year. 1,400 recreational boats have been registered in Spain compared to 2,466 registered in the same period last year

Boat rental also suffers sharply from the consequences of the pandemic, with a fall of -71.38% in May and -55.44% in the cumulative year. In the period under review (energy-May 2020), 307 registrations of vessels for rental use have been registered compared to 689 registered in the same period of 2019.

These are the data collected in the Report on the market for recreational craft for the period enero-May 2020, edited by ANEN on the basis of the data provided by the General Directorate of the Merchant Navy.

"The nautical sector is struggling with its full potential to boost nautical tourism as a safe holiday proposal for this summer, but we need the support of the Administration, not only in the economic section but also at the level of promotion to include the nautical activities in the institutional tourism campaigns, which are expected to be reactivated since mid-June," says Carlos Sanlorenzo, general secretary of the ANEN employer.

Since the state of alarm was decreed, the nautical sector, under the umbrella of the ANEN employer, is in discussions with the competent administrations. On the one hand, the Government has been asked to take fiscal measures to encourage the use of recreational nautical as a tourist and job-generating activity. These measures include the reduction of the general VAT for nautical activities, support for national sports facilities such as the reduction, exemption or bonus of fees, and the application of a tax in line with a activity directly linked to tourism such as that carried out by these facilities.

In addition, ANEN has submitted a Plan for the Development of Nautical Tourism to the Secretary of State for Tourism, "which is currently being studied both by the Secretary of State for Tourism and by Trespaña and on which we are confident to have news in the near future and that our proposals for nautical activities are part of that global offer of tourism that can be enjoyed in our country," says Carlos Sanlorenzo.

Except for the length between 8 and 12 meters that grow by 6.9% in the cumulative year, the rest of the segments fall: the length up to 8 meters falls by an average of -42% (representing 85.5% of the market), the segment between 12 and 16 meters falls by -39.8% and the length over 16 meters is the worst (-52%).

By type of vessels, the greatest fall is again experienced by the registration of semi-rigid pneumatic vessels (-58.4%), followed by the folding pneumatic (-48.4%), motor vessels (-46.7%), water motorcycles (-31%) and sailing (-28%).