Survey reveals vital economic contribution

NEW ZEALAND: The first-ever Health of the New Zealand Marina Industry Survey has revealed an annual revenue of $153 million, supporting more than 470 people in jobs – and a contribution of around half a billion dollars to the nation’s economy.

Forty marinas took part in the survey, which was conducted in 2023 for the New Zealand Marina Operator’s Association (NZMOA) by a specialist department at Michigan State University in the USA.
Value to the wider economy is, however, seen as much further reaching. “Marinas and boatyards are hubs of employment and industry,” says NZMOA chair Chris Galbraith, who is general manager of Bay of Islands Marina. “Boat owners need a wide range of maintenance services, and in some cases, we attract large amounts of international boats that come to New Zealand for pleasure, maintenance and refit – also making it part of our export economy.”
By way of example, Bay of Islands Marina with 420 berths has 28 tenant businesses, including marine trades, cafés, retail outlets and boat sales. The precinct around Westhaven Marina alone, which is the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, has 2,000 contractors, including boat builders, yacht brokers and marine electricians registered on its database, and 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.
The industry is also responding to the global desire for environmental sustainability and 17 marinas have now joined the New Zealand Clean Marinas programme. Older marinas are making substantial investments to improve their impact on water quality, and new marinas – like Waiheke Marina – are designed to meet the stringent requirements of their Resource Consents, with environmental sensitivity as a priority. The average capital investment in environmental protection and facilities is $3.1 million.
At the time of completing the survey in 2023, marinas were well supported by customers with the average operation sitting at 86% occupancy.