To develop a nationwide marketing plan for the nautical sector with involvement of all the components of the sector: companies, professional sailors, institutions, media, administration.... is fundamental in order to create a "culture of the sea" that is so far inexistent in Spain. This is the principal conclusion drawn from a debate "The sea welcomes you", organized by ANEN during the Barcelona Boat Show, reuniting prominent figures from olympic sailing, professional sailors, journalists, entrepreneurs and representatives of the Administration.
Amongst the activities organised by the Spanish Nautical Trade Association during the 53rd Barcelona Boat Show, the debate "The sea welcomes you" marked a start of a closer cooperation between the various segments of the nautical sector to seek and support real alternatives to promote collectivisation of the sector.
"Sailing is fun" pointed out Theresa Zabell, the chairwoman of the Ecomar Foundation, in her contribution to the debate. With this message as a focal point of the communication, junior sailing programmes as much as various other activities at sailing clubs and other entities need to be developed. "This is the way to correct the perception many people in Spain have of sailing as something very expensive and complicated", stated the double olympic sailing champion.
Quico Taronji, a journalist and a sailor who runs the TV show "Captain Q", agrees with Theresa Zabell: sailing is not elitist. Shooting the TV programme has made him remember his early experiences at sea, before becoming a professional sailor, when he discovered the various ways of enjoying sailing and the multiple activities and water sports that exist.
Fabián Escudé, the director of the yacht Club of Cambrils, reflected on the importance of the yachts clubs for the beginner, and their responsibility in shaking off this false image of yachting. Traditionally the yacht clubs have been managed as very closed entities, both when it comes to their inadequate infrastructures as well as to their attitude towards the users. Therefore, Escudé believes a process of updating and opening of the yacht clubs is necessary. If they don´t adapt to the new trends and necessities of the users, they are bound to disappear.
To improve the marketing of nautical events is a mission where the businesses and media have to collaborate
Alberto Mas, journalist representing Nauta360, insisted in what his fellow debaters already mentioned: the need in Spain to boost the marketing of nautical events where great professionals have made great achievements, but which are not managed in a way to reach a wider public.
All this while we in Spain have real nautical heroes, amongst them Theresa Zabell, Quico Taronji and Alex Pella, all of whom described their feats in the debate "The sea welcomes you" and who are ready to help beginners get into sailing by showing to the public their own passion for sailing.
In the middle of the preparations to sail off on the "Route du Rhum", the second most important ocean race in the world, Alex Pella explained how excited he was about this project. The only Spanish participant in this race, the ocean racer wanted to highlight the great labour of his team - 100% Spanish - who will collaborate in his adventure starting on the 2nd of November.
The debate focused also on the involvement of the nautical companies in supporting initiatives to capture aficionados. The entities that carry on with their business in the nautical sector will have to take the initiative to spearhead projects that will strengthen the activity in the nautical environment in benefit of their own business.
At this point intervened the representatives of Touron, Eduardo Lorenzi, and Yamaha España, Joan Vilaró. Vilaró referred to the "Guide to Towable Yachting" that was published during the Boat Show, and in which Yamaha collaborated.
To finish off, Benito Nuñez Quintanilla, representing the Direction General of the Merchant Navy, explained that the regulation of the nautical sector up until very recently, has been very rigid and thus complicating the access to yachting. However, normative like the reform of the nautical qualifications, published on the 11th of October, pave the way for a new phase for the yachting in our country.
With these premises and the valuable contribution of all the participants, the general secretary of ANEN, Carlos Sanlorenzo, concluded that this first meeting about initiation to yachting will lay the foundation for working together in marketing projects to promote the yachting in Spain.
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