Recreational Boating Market Report 2026

The recreational boating market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $34.94 billion in 2025 to $37.52 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.4%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to growth in marine tourism activities, increasing disposable income levels, expansion of coastal and inland water recreation, rising demand for fishing and leisure boats, availability of diverse boat models.

The recreational boating market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $50.32 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.6%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing adoption of electric recreational boats, rising investments in marina infrastructure, expansion of water sports tourism, growing demand for smart boating technologies, increasing focus on sustainable marine solutions. Major trends in the forecast period include increasing demand for luxury and leisure boats, rising adoption of electric and hybrid propulsion systems, growing use of lightweight boat materials, expansion of connected navigation and safety systems, enhanced focus on eco-friendly boating practices.

The expansion of the tourism industry is expected to drive the growth of the recreational boating market in the coming years. The tourism sector, also referred to as the travel industry, involves people traveling domestically or internationally for leisure, social, or business purposes. It is closely connected to the hospitality, accommodation, and transportation industries and focuses on providing enjoyable, comfortable, and engaging experiences for travelers during their journeys. Recreational boating benefits from increased tourism as visitors seek leisure and water-based activities during their trips. For example, in July 2024, according to a report published by UN Tourism, a Spain-based United Nations agency, approximately 790 million international tourists traveled during the first seven months of 2024, representing an increase of about 11% compared to the same period in 2023. Therefore, the growing tourism industry is contributing to the expansion of the recreational boating market.

Major companies operating in the recreational boating market are increasingly adopting strategic partnerships to strengthen their technological capabilities and enhance customer offerings. Strategic collaboration refers to mutually beneficial partnerships between independent organizations that work together to achieve shared objectives aligned with their long-term strategies. For instance, in September 2023, GOST (Global Ocean Security Technologies), a US-based marine security systems provider, partnered with Boat Fix, a US-based recreational boating telematics company. Through this collaboration, the companies aim to advance technological solutions within the marine sector. GOST began offering its existing and future customers enhanced services, including 24/7 alarms, anti-theft protection, customer support, advanced monitoring, alarm management, and vessel recovery solutions for recreational boats.

In October 2024, Allied Strategic Partners, a US-based private asset management firm, acquired Prairie Creek Marina for an undisclosed amount. This acquisition is intended to strengthen Allied Strategic Partners’ operational capabilities and broaden its service offerings within the marine industry. The transaction aligns with the firm’s strategy to expand its presence in key recreational boating markets and enhance customer experiences across its marina facilities. Prairie Creek Marina is a US-based recreational boating facility located on Beaver Lake near Rogers, Arkansas.

Major companies operating in the recreational boating market report include Lowe Boats, Brunswick Corporation, Groupe Beneteau, Malibu Boats, Ferretti Group, Sea Ray, Mastercraft Boat Holdings Inc., Azimut Benetti Group, Marine Products Corporation, Nitro Boats, Hobie Cat Company Inc., Boston Whaler, Lund Boats, White River Marine Group, Grady-White Boats, Regal Boats, Ranger Boats, Sunseeker International Limited, Baja Marine, Correct Craft, Bayliner, Chaparral Boats, Pacific Asian Enterprises, Fairline, Bavaria Yachtbau, Albemarle Boats, Crestliner Boats, Tracker Boats.

North America was the largest region in the recreational boating market in 2025. The regions covered in the recreational boating market report include Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the recreational boating market report include Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The recreational boating market includes revenues earned by entities by towboats, fishing boats, sailboats, cabin cruisers and pontoon boats. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. Only goods and services traded between entities or sold to end consumers are included.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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