Development of the water sports sector

by Jacques R. LORNE

With the arrival of the Boat Shows in Cannes and Monaco, and considering their success, the future of the water sports sector in the Provence-Alps-Côte d'Azur region and Corsica becomes a prime concern. Just like approximately two years ago, on the day dedicated to "the Future of Water Sports" organized in Toulon by the Mission of Economic Development that was attended by the majority of the actors of the sector, it is the appropriate moment to consider the problem. Since then, we must admit that the ardour has died down. Certainly, many people have continued working, but we no longer heard any talk about all the good resolutions that should have been taken or at least analyzed. During the presentation of the problem, the means given to our Italian neighbours had enriched the conversations, and the way in which those in charge of these nearby regions had taken the bull by horns to restore and largely contribute to make this industry flourish thanks to aids and accompanying programs, had aroused a lot of interest. It is true, according to the amply explained examples, that these industries and their companies benefited from certain advantages, placing them in a favourable position on the markets.
We expected a reaction…it is arousing now.

A priority approach

Dominique Estève, president of the Chamber of commerce and industry of the Maritime Alps, took the opportunity of the Cannes Show to present a program perfectly adapted to the desired development of this activity. The analysis made by the economic observatory "Sirius" gave a very reassuring verdict of the situation of this sector on the French Riviera, and the key figures are there to prove it. In 2005, about 1,1 billion euros of turnovers excluding tax were generated by two sources: 1.056 million euros from the companies and 54 million euros from the ports. It is evident that the sector represents an excellent revenue for the economy of the French Riviera, because it also engenders 3.323 jobs, of which 2983 in companies and 340 in the ports, it consists of 600 professionals, among which 567 companies and 33 ports. The explosion of this industrial pole is spurred by 5 professional families grouping together 90 % of the actors of the pole, 26 % for services, 25 % for repair/ construction/organization, 21 % for equipment, 9 % for shipyard construction and repair, and 8 % for the ports and harbour services. 40 % of the companies are specialised in sailing boats less than 24 metres and 15 % work on yachts over 24 metres. Obviously, the result is promising, especially if this analysis gives a foresight of future profitability by showing an average annual increase of the turnover of the activity over three years of 7,3%. It is all the more interesting taking into account that this average boosts employment by 0,4 % and the number of companies and ports by 2,3 % (over 3 years). Naturally, the presence of powerful companies on the luxury market of professional yachting influences this result thanks to recent purchase operations, which henceforth maintain the growth of companies within the territory and consequently within the pole. (Without these operations, the turnover of the pole increases by 8 % over 3 years, i.e. a 2 % annual average over 3 years). Considering these results, we wished to investigate the real capacities of this field.

A federative method

This widened approach, announced by Dominique Estève on September 11th during the Boat Show in Cannes, is not simply the result of fate. Indeed, this concern was one of the announced objectives for the mandate of the Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the County Chambers. Proposed to the whole consular service, eight of these CCI of the Provence-Alps-Côte d'Azur region and Corsica considered that this field and the stakes that it represents is a regional priority. It then remained to define the objectives. In order to identify them, it seemed necessary to elaborate a diagnosis as realistic as possible of water sports in the considered region. This method, that aims at companies, ports, associations and yachtsmen, will not be very easy to apply because it will require more than 6.000 questionnaires to interrogate all the interlocutors, and this investigation will obviously demand an undeterminable length of time. Furthermore, this work should be completed by groups of thematic work, acting in parallel on previously identified problems. At present, the plan includes 4 working groups that will contribute to the diagnosis on a wide variety of subjects such as: Leisure sailing, organisation of events, statutory constraints, accommodation facilities in ports, the problem of stationary boats in ports, and even "Benchmarking Italy - Spain - Tunisia", to track down the most interesting examples on the Mediterranean coasts. To fulfil this mission, the Chamber of commerce and industry of Nice Côte d'Azur has been appointed "pilot of the project" considering its acquired experience on the nautical pole in the Maritime Alps in 2003. The CCI of the Var and Ajaccio will accompany that of Nice as "co-pilots" of this operation.

A large-scale operation to enhance development

To correctly manage and promote a sector, it is necessary to know it well. Thus first of all, it is necessary to estimate the importance of the sector to value its actors, in order to appreciate the situation to stimulate its development. For that, it is necessary to identify the necessary actions to increase the economic spin-offs, investment, and by definition employment in this activity. The success of this task is not utopian; there is an essential fact that must not be overlooked: the Provence-Alps-Côte d'Azur region and Corsica are ideally situated because with their 2000 km of coast they represent almost a third of the French coasts, 15 % for PACA (835 km) and 17 % for Corsica (1165 km). More than 32 % of the French ports are situated in this area, among which 151 leisure ports, 132 for the PACA region alone between Fos and Menton, which represents 39,3 % of port moorings in France, 57.000 of which in PACA and 7500 in Corsica. There are also 13 % of moorings reserved for temporary stopovers. The registrations follow the same trend: the PACA region alone represented 23 % of this administrative formality in 2005.

Even if all these figures are somewhat tedious, they enable us to appreciate the impact of this sector and its strategic influence on the economy and employment in the region. It is necessary to take into account that the Western Mediterranean welcomes 50 % of the world fleet of yachts every year. Nevertheless, although it is a specificity of our region, thanks to its position, this field of activities is insufficiently recognized, despite having on the territory more than ten big shipyards for repair and maintenance, which offer specialized services of international quality. It also represents approximately 10.000 jobs globally, compared to 40.000 throughout France; the French Riviera represents some 567 companies which generate approximately 3323 jobs, among which 340 in the port organisations; altogether they represent a 1,1 billion euro turnover, confirming a good performance. Nevertheless, it is important to note the lack of moorings in the ports. Maybe it would be necessary to completely restructure the already used places and set up other shipyards along our coast to increase port capacities. But we must also consider the problems caused by stationary boats and other sources of pollution. A great reflection must be made in order to restore our beautiful creeks that have been totally ravaged by this pollution, first of all by seeking solutions to enable the boats which are there to find other places in real ports correctly organised to accommodate these fleets and the constraints they imply. A great effort must be made in this direction in order to recover the magnificent aspect of our coast, which it should never have lost, and to satisfy the legitimate desire of all the boatmen (sailing and motorboats) who wish to continue to enjoy the quality of life of our sea environment.