Forty New Zealand marinas took part in the first-ever Health of the New Zealand Marina Industry Survey, conducted in 2023 for the New Zealand Marina Operators Association (NZMOA) by a specialist department at Michigan State University.
The survey showed that the niche industry has gross annual revenue of $153m, supporting more than 470 people in jobs – with an estimated half a billion dollars in economic contribution.
“Boat owners need a wide range of maintenance services, and in some cases, we attract large numbers of international boats visiting New Zealand for pleasure, maintenance and refit – also making it part of our export economy,” says NZMOA Chair Chris Galbraith, General Manager of Bay of Islands Marina.
As examples, the 420-berth Bay of Islands Marina has 28 tenant businesses on its ground including marine trades, cafes, retail and boat sales, while the precinct around Westhaven Marina, the largest in the southern hemisphere, has 2,000 contractors, including boat builders, yacht brokers and marine electricians, registered on its database. Nelson Marina’s masterplan predicts it will be home to 40 businesses by 2027.
In total, the industry’s marinas support more than 300 small businesses. Individual marinas each engage more than 63 contractors annually for a wide range of services.
Seventeen marinas are now in the New Zealand Clean Marinas programme. The average capital investment in environmental protection and facilities is $3.1 million.
www. nzmoa.com/hami-survey
