A new kind of traveller is cruising through Italy.
They spend 200 euros a day, don’t mind the price list, and above all, they don’t want to feel like “one of the many.”
According to the latest Isnart–Unioncamere–ENIT survey, international demand keeps growing — from 46% in 2010 to 56% in summer 2025.
But the real story isn’t the numbers — it’s the quality of spending.
Of those 200 euros, 86 go to accommodation, while the rest — over 100 euros a day — goes into experiences, services, dining, and local activities.
And this is exactly where the nautical sector can (and must) play its part.
If the “high-spending” traveller is ready to invest more than 100 euros a day in what they live, not where they sleep, Italian marinas and charter operators have a massive opportunity:
to turn spending into experience, not just transit.
The Nautical Tourist: 200 Euros Is Just the Starting Point
According to the National Observatory on the Blue Economy (Ossermare) and reports from TTG Travel Experience, Altagamma and Giornale della Vela, nautical tourists spend even more —
150–200 euros per day for boat owners or charter guests.
More than half of the budget goes to restaurants and bars, the rest to moorings, fuel, excursions, and local visits.
This is higher than the national average, with a direct impact on coastal economies.
- €2,730 for 7 days: the average charter spend for a six-person crew (≈ €390/day total, €455 per person per week).
- For yachts and luxury catamarans, numbers rise sharply — easily exceeding €10,000 per week.
- €5,949/year is the average maintenance and usage cost for a small boater, rising to €30,499 for yachts and pleasure vessels.
- Just Liguria, Sardinia, and Tuscany account for 40% of Italy’s berths.
Each large yacht generates 26 times the local spending of an average tourist.
In 2022, the sector created €16.3 billion in local economic value, still growing in 2024.
Charter bookings jumped +130% between 2022 and 2024, while average luxury spending grew +53%.
58% of nautical tourists are mid-to-high income, aged 31–50, coming mainly from Italy (61%), the EU (20%), and the USA (14%).
What This Means for Marinas and Charter Operators
For marinas, it means being able to justify premium pricing and service standards aligned with a target that spends €150–400 per day — and values quality over quantity.
People who moor aren’t buying a spot: they’re buying time, care, quiet, and convenience.
For charter operators, it means stopping selling “days at sea” and starting to sell sea experiences.
Onboard catering, route sommeliers, tailor-made itineraries, digital concierges: if half of tourist spending goes to dining and local experiences, the boat must become part of the destination, not just the means to reach it.
Concrete Actions to Attract High-Spenders
Segment your offer.
Create service levels aligned with expectations: premium, experience, lifestyle.
Collaborate with your territory.
Every marina can become a micro-hub for tourism by building partnerships with restaurants, boutiques, and local producers.
Communicate value, not price.
The difference between “€180 mooring” and “berth with personalised welcome” is all in the storytelling.
For more insight into why marketing attention helps you work better (and earn more), read our guide on why communication matters in yachting.
As Isnart’s president Loretta Credaro reminded, the average rating of the “Italy experience” rose to 8.9/10.
Excellent — but in yachting, the rating comes from those who decide where to dock… and where never to return.
Conclusion
If the average tourist spends 200 euros per day, the nautical one spends twice that.
The real question is: how much of those 400 euros end up in your marina?
