Beneath the surface of Europe’s leisure marine market lies a quiet but significant crisis: thousands of newly qualified boaters are disappearing before they ever enter the industry. As boot Düsseldorf prepares for its 57th edition, show director Petros Michelidakis is confronting the issue and urging dealers and exhibitors to do the same.
“We believe in boating, because we believe in leisure, and marine tourism,” says Michelidakis, at the London launch of boot Düsseldorf, which returns from 17-25 January 2026. “Of course, we are not having the best of the times.”
His assessment of the current market is clear. “The challenges are bigger than in many times of the history of leisure marine. We have a difficult situation, not only in the political landmarks in Europe, but also in the world.”
The hidden crisis that boot Düsseldorf’s research reveals
The organisation has been looking closely at the data, speaking with both attendees and non-attendees about their experiences. One focus has been boaters who obtained their recreational license in Germany in 2024 – a group of roughly 80,000 people (further information about the recreational license is available online). They are important, Michelidakis says, because as soon as they qualify, around 98 per cent are lost to the marine market.
“We don’t know where they are, we don’t know who they are, and we don’t know what they want,” he says.
“None of us are in the position to lose anyone when he shows his interest in motor-boating or in sailing. But at the moment – and excuse me saying this – we don’t [appear to] care.”
That attitude will increase the industry’s problems. Currently, there are still people in their 40s, 50s and 60s who buy boats, which Michelidakis says “feeds the industry very well”. But he wonders: “What will happen in 15, in 20, in 30 years?” With that in mind, the show invited 2024’s newly licensed boaters to attend for free. Over 3,000 came and – as importantly – took part in research.
The results show that most of them took their license because they want to charter boats. But 40 per cent want to buy. Which, when cheerfully extrapolated to the 80,000 licence takers per year, could mean there are 32,000 people with a dream of ownership in Germany alone.
Thirty three per cent of the license holders who claimed their free ticket in 2025 were women.
“We would gain a lot of interest from a target group, which we haven’t taken seriously,” Michelidakis says.
Research indicates political instability is a cause for lower sales
Also among the research was a quality survey, looking at reasons why people didn’t attend the show in 2025. The good news, Michelidakis says, is that the crisis “is not in our industry”. The results show that people don’t want to buy a boat ‘now’. That’s because of a variety of factors, including geopolitical instability and war, the global economic crisis, trade and a lack of trust in politicians.
The money not being spent is put down to “a lack of trust in the politicians” Michelidakis reveals. “This is what we found out. So that’s the main point.”
“If the German government, the French government, the Dutch government, the British government all do a better job and push a better view into the future, then automatically it will start becoming better.”
Financing is easier as interest rates decrease
Helping to fuel Michelidakis’ positivity for the future is the fact that interest rates have gone down. New owners can finance a boat below 5 per cent. The used boat market is levelling out and charter is making a comeback
“Charter is not in a good shape now at the moment” but “it is much better than last year”.
Transform market by appealing to younger generations
With that optimism in place, Michelidakis believes: “The challenge is to transform our market into an attractive market for the younger generations. That’s the only thing we have to do. And it’s possible, it’s not difficult, but we have to start somewhere.”
Within this, he notes Brunswick Group’s and Beneteau’s boat share clubs are a great start, and that innovation with technology will make it even easier – citing auto-docking as an example – to drive new customers out to sea. Freedom Boat Club recently won an accolade as global demand for shared boating rises.
Booked-out halls show confidence
Also among Michelidakis’ many positives is that marine customers still can, and will, spend money. Another is that the show has many full halls.
Motor yacht halls for the show, which takes place in late January, are fully booked. “We had some cancellations in all the motor boat halls, but we could happily take exhibitors from the waiting list and fill up the lost spaces.” Similarly, the equipment offering is solid.
Looking back to 2009, some halls at the show were half empty. “Some other companies had to leave, because there were no orders at all in 2009. The market suddenly collapsed.” But, Michelidakis says when he compares the numbers of 2009, 2010 and 2011, with the numbers today, “we are in a much better shape … so that makes me more optimistic”.
Cars to get spotlight at marine show
And, in 2026, the show will be letting in cars. Among the 100+ boat premieres, Porsche will debut its Cayenne Electric. “You will see approximately 10 to 12 cars being exhibited,” Michelidakis says. The limitation is that two boats are needed per car – and the car can only take a maximum 20 per cent of the space.
“That’s a very interesting development which we like, and I think that the visitors will like.”
The picture that emerges from Michelidakis is ultimately one of momentum, not decline. With new buyer insights, stronger exhibitor demand for 2026, and a clearer understanding of what today’s boaters actually want, he says the industry is well-positioned. And rather than signalling trouble, the data presented by Michelidakis gives the industry a sharper roadmap for growth.
The post The hidden crisis in boating – and the surprising data underpinning boot Düsseldorf’s optimism appeared first on Marine Industry News.
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