The rental of boats such as sailing boats, sloops and motor yachts increased by no less than 20% compared to the summer of 2019. This is evident from the quarterly figures of Click & Boat and Nautal, the online boat rental platforms in Europe.
'We have had an excellent quarter. In addition to the increase in the number of bookings, the average length of the rental period has also increased. The corona virus has provided an extreme boost for local tourism. And the beautiful weather certainly contributed to this', says Edouard Gorioux, co-founder of Click & Boat.
Local tourism very popular
Due to the corona crisis, many Dutch people saw their booked holiday abroad fall into the water. The water sports industry went through several stressful weeks of little activity during the lockdown. When the corona measures were relaxed in mid-May, applications for a boat were received. From sloops, to sailboats and motor yachts, out on the water was one of the safest ways to spend the holidays. There has been a revaluation of what the Netherlands has to offer as a tourist destination. From wooded natural beauty and beautiful national parks, to the many lakes, rivers, canals and kilometers of coast that you can visit.
Boat owners couldn't handle the crowds
The sharing economy is becoming increasingly well known, focused on local experiences. Dutch holidaymakers are increasingly booking their holiday via online sharing platforms such as AirBnB, Campspace or Goboony. For example, online boat rental platform Click & Boat sees that boating and sailing holidays have become increasingly popular in recent years. The persistent summer temperatures caused a lot of pressure on the water. It was in the recreation sector on the water just like on land. The peak activity at the landlords resulted in many disappointed faces. Many boat rental companies were fully booked weeks in advance. Last minute and booking a boat was not possible. Rental prices were sometimes even offered, in the hope of still being able to get a boat.
About Click & Boat
Click & Boat is an online boat rental platform between private and professional boat owners and water sports enthusiasts. The company was founded in 2013 by two young French entrepreneurs: Edouard Gorioux and Jérémy Bismuth and is located in Boulogne-Billancourt, near Paris. Since 2018, the company has also been active in the Netherlands. The start arose from a simple observation: thousands of boats lie unused in the harbor and cause high maintenance costs for their owners. Various types of boats can be rented and rented very easily, both with and without a skipper.
In August 2020 Click & Boat acquired the Spanish company Nautal. With the acquisition of its largest competitor, Click & Boat is the largest online boat rental platform in the world. Earlier in the past 12 months, the company already acquired Oceans Evasion and Scansail. In the meantime, the fleet has grown from 35.000 to more than 45.000 boats and the company is market leader in more than 12 countries: from the Netherlands to Spain and from France to Germany.
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