More and more marinas are being equated with open-air accommodations (thus with 10% VAT): more services for shipowners, who moreover now save money
After much tribulation, it really seems that Marina Resorts are a reality. Do you remember what we are talking about? In the “Sblocca Italia” decree passed in 2014, among the many provisions was one in favor of boating: the government equated Marina Resorts with open-air accommodations. In “facilities organized for tourists to stay and spend the night inside their units at the berth,” 10% VAT is therefore applied, as has always worked at other segments of “land-based” tourism. Thus, the advantage, in economic terms, for an average shipowner is to be able to take advantage of cheaper berth rental prices; the important thing is that the contract is less than one year .
THERE ARE THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY ADJUSTED
“Ihe future of marinas is definitely represented by “Marina Resorts,” multifunctional facilities that no longer simply accommodate vessels by providing them with a berth, but complex and organized structures, “beauty farms” of boating that can offer an increasingly wide range of services and utilities“, he began during our meeting Matteo Italo Ratti, director and managing director of Marina Cala de’ Medici in Rosignano, on the Tuscan coast south of Livorno.
“If we analyze the results of this 2016, we notice that facilities like ours, which are able to provide full service to the shipowner, have shown growth. This is especially so in the ten- to sixteen-meter range: owners of these boats can enjoy advantages once unthought of, when many ports were … parking lots rather than places for gathering and all-around services as they are today. At a time when there is more supply of berths than demand from boat owners, providing top-notch services and differentiating oneself has become critical“.
CHANGES TAKING PLACE
More and more marinas throughout Italy are taking action, preparing new contracts, which we might call “variable seasonality,” to meet all possible needs of Italian, Mediterranean and Northern European customers. And remember among other things that the port will have to adapt (just like hotels and campsites) its facilities to reception, and based on those it will be classified. Let us know what you think…
