Booming industry

The Boating Data Report Card has been released by the Boating Industry Association, revealing an extraordinary national turnover.

04 August 2022

The Boating Industry Association (BIA) recently released its state of the industry data report, revealing a national turnover at AU$9.55 billion for 2021–22.

BIA Vice President Adam Smith launched the report on the first day of the Sydney International Boat Show in Darling Harbour.

“Our industry has seen growth in total revenue over the past year of 8.1 percent to $9.55 billion in NSW revenue, which is up almost 10 percent over that period,” Smith said.

“Across the last five years, that growth has been 15 percent, with the challenges of COVID included.

“There are now 26,000 people directly employed in the boating industry nationally with many thousands more in contractors supporting more than 2000 businesses.

“There are 75 percent in small, family businesses, employing local workers and supporting local communities.”

BIA Vice President Adam Smith launched the report on the first day of the 2022 Sydney International Boat Show.

The boating industry includes boat builders, retailers, marinas and boat storage operators, tourism and training providers, representing a wide range of local and global brands and providing services to a growing boating community.

“Boating is a great escape and over the past two years demand for all things boating accelerated, with boating licences and registrations up across the nation,” Smith added.

“Little wonder with more than 85 percent of the population living within 50 kilometres of the coast that almost one in five households in a state like NSW can have a boat or watercraft.

“People of all ages, genders and abilities can participate in boating across paddle, sail and power for leisure and sport.”

Australia has more than 2.5 million people with a licence to drive a powerboat and close to one million registered vessels and non-motorised craft, which do not require registration or licensing.

The data report card shows:

- One in 10 Australians have a boat licence.
- 925,000 registered boats.
- 90,000+ personal watercraft registered.
- 18,500+ new registrations over the year.
- 85 percent of boats are under 6 metres.
- 75 percent of the fleet is less than ten years old.
- 62 percent of boats are aluminium.
- 33 percent of boats are fibreglass.

Find the full report here.

bia.org.au