Marinas NAICS 713930

Mar 4, 2026 - Tech and Hospitality Redefine the Marina Experience

• According to a report in Boating Industry, US marinas are shifting from simple docking facilities to hospitality-driven destinations, reshaping industry strategy and investment. Operators like Suntex Marinas (90+ locations) emphasize resort-style experiences and community spaces to attract and retain boaters. Technology adoption is accelerating: platforms offering online reservations, digital contracts, mobile service tracking, and automated billing improve productivity, capture more revenue, and increase customer satisfaction. At Hawks Cay Marina, digital tools already manage about 90% of slip reservations, showing rapid operational digitization. AI is expected to further optimize berth allocation, pricing, and demand forecasting. However, the industry faces structural challenges including technician labor shortages, high housing costs in boating destinations, complex regulatory oversight, and aging infrastructure requiring extensive permitting, such as a four-year dredging approval process in the Florida Keys. Electrification remains limited, indicating slow adoption. Overall, hospitality, technology integration, and infrastructure modernization will drive US marina competitiveness.
• Mixed economic conditions are shaping a stable outlook for the US recreational boating market in 2026, which is important for marinas as boating participation and vessel activity remain strong, according to data released by the National Marine Manufacturers Association. New powerboat retail sales fell 8–10% in 2025 to about 215,000–225,000 units, but sales in 2026 are expected to be flat to slightly higher. Entry-level segments, including personal watercraft, aluminum fishing boats, and small trailerable boats, account for more than 90% of retail unit activity, supporting frequent use at local waterways and marinas. The market is further sustained by nearly 860,000 pre-owned boat sales in 2024, representing about 80% of total annual boat transactions. With 11 million registered boats in use and 85 million Americans boating annually, marina demand for slips, services, and fueling remains strong. Participation spending, including outings and accessories, reached $24.5 billion in 2024, reinforcing marinas’ role in supporting ongoing boating activity and local water access.

• The US marinas industry is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.7% between 2025 and 2029, according to a forecast from Inforum and the Interindustry Economic Research Fund, Inc. The expected growth rate is slower than the overall economy's projected growth. The arts, entertainment, and recreation industries, which include marinas, are largely driven by spending by US households and tourists, foreign students, and other visitors. Consumer sentiment is expected to improve in the forecast period, which bodes well for the sector. Further increases in tariffs and decreases in immigrant labor supplies may push price levels higher and postpone improvement of inflation. The slow rise of employment and higher consumption prices may limit expansion of real disposable income to about 1.8% in 2025 and 1.6% in 2026.
• Nearly 58 million Americans went fishing in 2024, a 34% increase in participation over 2023, according to the 2025 Special Report on Fishing by the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF) in Marina Dock Age. The number of Americans six and over who went fishing in 2024 reached a record high of 19% of the US population. However, the report noted that churn poses a challenge for the industry, with participation rates falling sharply after a child turned 18. The most popular fishing locations were riverbank (49%), shoreline (48%), boat (45%), pier (24%), kayak (7%), and other (5%). 2024 set a record for female participants, reaching 21.3 million women. The report showed that the top barriers to fishing were crowded fishing spots, the discomfort of being outside, not catching any fish, unclean waters, and the expense of fishing equipment.