414 Attend the World Marinas Conference

The ICOMIA World Marinas Conference 2018 in Athens, Greece, has closed another successful event. Hosted by the Greek Marinas Association. The 10th conference had a theme of “Cross Sea Challenge for Marinas – Setting the Scene for Collective Development and Growth.”

Marina managers from around the world attended the event to discuss the importance of marinas and waterfront redevelopment for economies, with a particular emphasis on how marina development can support the growth of boating, tourism and manufacturing markets.

The ICOMIA Marinas Group organizes the biennial marinas conference to encourage the exchange of technical, environmental and marketing information; educate government on the economic importance and environmental compatibility of boating facilities and creating a network so that information can be pooled for the common good.

The 414 attendees heard from industry leaders from around the world, who described the state of play in their respective regions. Hot topics included electric boat propulsion, solar piers, floating houses and floating infrastructures. There were also presentations on current issues such as security issues at ports and marinas, oil pollution crisis management and marina marketing. Key recurring themes included the impact of changing boat sizes and ownership patterns of marinas; the growth of shared ownership and its impact on perceptions, security and marina facilities and the symbiotic relationship between boat owners, marinas and the environment.

A full day of marina tours, allowed delegates to learn about the particulars of the Greek marina market, which is growing thanks to privatization programs, urban waterfront rejuvenation projects and the increased importance of the tourism economy to Greece.