Spanish €2.9bn marina industry set for growth

Spain’s marinas appear to be recession-proof, as demand continues to out-strip supply, industry sources say. Nationally, the marinas generate about €2.9 billion in profits each year, according to the President of the Mediterranean Marinas Company, Jose Carlos Martin. The company, which runs the Estepona, La Duquesa and the future Malaga Marina, said that the 123,000 berths it manages, along with leisure and shopping areas, are still not enough.

In Spain, the two most important nautical areas are Cataluña and Andalucia, the first generates €3.8 for every euro invested and in Andalucia, €5 are generated for each euro. Each berth makes €170,000 in Cataluña and in Andalucia €270,000.

Martin, the Vice-president of Puerto Banus, Jose Figueroa, and the Vice-president of Marbella Port, Alicia Jimenez, criticized that the Junta de Andalucia has risen taxes at the marinas by “5,000 per cent” since 2006.