Boataround 2018 report: Love for yachting has grown by 300%

With the holidays in sight, it is time to take a look back and reflect on how we fared in 2018 and what major milestones we sailed past. Our amazing team of nautical super-heroes has grown into international dimensions, bringing aboard experts on boats, customer care, booking improvements and most of all, joy from sailing. Please, join our merry crew in our 2018 recap. ⛵

1. Happy bookings increased by factor of 4,1

In 2018, yachting fans and recreational sailors successfully booked and sailed a boat four times more than in 2017. This is based on the data we gathered since we started our operations in 2016. Overall interest in yachting increased by 300% in 2018, compared to the website visits for previous year. The interesting thing is, bookings for season 2019 already exceed those for 2017. ⚓

Two boats booked for Boataround teambuilding were not counted in the final tally of our 2018. Despite that, we enjoyed the sea very much.

2. Achieving global recognition

Growing attraction to yachting is a global trend. Most boat searches in 2018 came from Italy, closely followed by sailors from Poland, Scandinavia, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, and Czech republic. The biggest growth of interest in yachting was shown by visitors from Hungary.

“General perception of yachts is one of a luxury item with an expensive price tag attached to it. That notion couldn’t be farther from the truth. One week in Croatia for six people can cost on the upside of 2.000 EUR, depending on the season. When you do the math, one person pays way less then they would on a visit to a typical destination,” confirms Jana Escher, co-founder of Boataround.

Next stop – beyond the horizon. Right after we remember where we parked our boat.

3. Croatia having our back

Globally, Croatia prevailed as universally loved yachting destination with more than 85% of bookings taking place there. Ancient city Šibenik dominated in popularity due to the interest sparked by lending its exteriors to portray Braavos and other locations in Game of Thrones. Sukošan takes second place thanks to its favorable location to highway and airports. Third place is shared by picturesque Trogir and one of the first royal Croatian cities, Biograd na Moru.

Our team having a great time in Adriatic sea. We love you, Croatia.

4. 10 000+ boats with double-checked content

Boataround started in 2016 and has grown into a prominent global search engine for booking yachts around the world, from the smallest motorboat in Croatia to luxury yachts in the Caribbean. In the span of past two years, we have arranged reservations for thousands of happy customers and our database of 10 000+ ships is unique thanks to the our emphasis on content authenticity.

Boataround elves providing 100% of focus and 300% of selfie skills.

5. Passing the 300 reviews mark for excellency

We’ve received our 300th positive review at Trustpilot, putting us on trust score of 9.6. Flawless customer care is one of the main pillars of our company and earning an almost perfect score is a great source of pride for us. If you’ve sailed with us, please, let us know how was your cooperation with Boataround.

Huge thank you to all of our loyal sailors who took their time to leave us some valuable feedback. We’re always striving to be better and your experience keeps us on the right track.

6. Keeping our sights on new horizons in 2019

Where will the winds blow for recreational sailors in 2019? Based on the data from December 12th, new contenders arise aside from the aforementioned front-runners. Croatian ports of Pula, Primošten, Split and Zadar pop-up, alongside with Greek Athens and Lefkada, Spanish Palma de Mallorca, Caribbean Cuba and Martinique, and African Seychelles. 🏝 Don’t worry, Boataround has boats in all the trendy ports.

In 2019, we aim to climb as far as possible into the yacht rental market.

Big thank you to all our sailors and partners! Support of our sea-faring friends and family means the world to us as we try to bring the joy of sailing to as many of our customers as possible. We are looking forward to working with you in 2019. ❤️

Are you thinking about sailing in 2019, but are unsure on the finer details of your sea voyage? Don’t worry, we got you covered. Just hit up the Boataround elves at info@boataround.com or call us at + 44 (33) 00270087, we’d love to help. Here’s to problem-free sailing in 2019! 🚤

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