Nautical Tourism Research Articles

Apresentação do Centro de Competência e Desenvolvimento da Economia Azul

The blue economy focuses on sustainable and regenerative development associated with resources and sectors related to the aquatic environment (ocean, seas, rivers and lakes). The blue economy encompasses traditional economic activities such as fishing, aquaculture and processing industries, maritime transport, port facilities and logistics, maritime infrastructure and works, shipbuilding and maintenance, coastal tourism and nautical tourism, sports and culture, and education, training and scientific research. It also includes emerging economic activities such as renewable ocean energies (wind, wave and tidal), marine biotechnology (biofuels, genetic resources, pharmaceuticals), maritime surveillance, carbon capture and sequestration, among many others. Each of these activities faces challenges associated with decarbonisation, digitalisation and the circular economy, while offering vast opportunities for innovation, entrepreneurship, investment and the development of professional careers, boosting the creation of qualified jobs. The blue economy is driven by several critical factors, including the promotion of a healthy and resilient ocean, the protection of biodiversity, the existence and quality of basic sanitation, the creation and maintenance of vibrant ecosystems, and investment in knowledge, education and inclusive social development.

Digital Transformation in Nautical Tourism

Digitization in the domain of nautical tourism has stimulated the implementation of innovative applications, serving as integral support mechanisms for service users. This transformation has also given rise to specified smart business ecosystems, ensuring the joint generation of value for all stake-holders. As a result, innovative technologies have not only transformed the overall nautical experience but also led to reduced operating costs and the development of effective business practices, thus becoming a strategic priority for nautical companies. Based on the analysis of a wide body of literature, this paper aims to underscore the significance of information technology and interactive smart systems in nautical tourism. Through the implementation of digital and smart technologies, it becomes feasible to manage multiple segments, including actors, devices and security systems. This operationalization of ship management activities aims to enhance the experience for guests and crew in continuation.

Analysis of Influencing Factors of the Energy Transition Process in Sustainable Nautical Tourism: Case Study—The Netherlands

According to the International Maritime Organization, the shipping industry contributes to 3.3% of global CO2 emissions. Reducing carbon emissions by 50% for all ships by 2050 is the main concern of all stakeholders. In the last 20 years, the share of renewable energy sources in electricity production in the European Union has doubled, from around 15% to almost 35%. The main driver of this development has been the increase in the share of wind energy and solar photovoltaic energy. The authors of this paper aim to analyze the favorable influencing factors and the inhibiting factors affecting the energy transition process applied to nautical tourism, from polluting energy to renewable solar energy. The research approach consists of using the framework provided by the energy transition process from the perspective of the socio-technical and economic approach, by applying a qualitative research method with a deductive approach. The tool used to achieve the objective is a semi-structured interview, which brings up concrete issues that operators in this field are currently facing. The research unitarily, holistically, and specifically approaches the problem of energy transition from polluting sources to renewable ones offered by solar energy, in the case of nautical tourism with direct implications on the specific industry in The Netherlands. The research results are structured in four areas: technological, governance, economic, and user preferences. This research has the potential to provide support for finding optimal solutions to encourage users to accelerate the energy transition process by adopting sustainable solutions for nautical tourism.

Documenting Maritime Accidents of Recreational Vessels in the Republic of Croatia

Nautical tourism in the Republic of Croatia represents an important segment of Croatian tourism. Due to the natural conditions that Croatia possesses, it is recognized as one of the most desirable European and world destinations for boaters. The increase of nautical tourism activities in the Adriatic in recent years also increases the possibility of accidents at sea. In order to reduce the risk of accidents, analyses of available data on accidents from the National Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC) were carried out. In the aforementioned database, recreational vessels were selected and analyzed. The compiled data refers to sailing vessels, yachts, small fishing vessels, boats, and inflatable boats regardless of their flag state. Based on the research conducted, suggestions were made to optimize the existing way of filling out reports in order to better manage statistical data, and potentially identify the causes of recreational vessel accidents.

Comparison of Contracts on Business Cooperation on Maritime Domain in Nautical Tourism Ports and Lease Agreements

The paper discusses the contract on business cooperation on maritime property in the ports of nautical tourism in the context of named and unnamed contracts, the scope of freedom of contract in the context of the concession contract as a "fundamental" contract, as well as the method by which the contract on business cooperation is qualified in the Croatian legal system. This contract is apostrophised in the context of mixed contracts and sui generis contracts as types of contracts that are not regulated by law. The acceptance of the provisions of the lease agreement as a named contract in Croatian legislation in business practice when concluding a business cooperation agreement is examined, as well as the similarities of these two agreements. The aim of the paper is to use the comparative law method to complete knowledge about the positioning of business cooperation contracts on maritime property in nautical tourism ports in the context of named and unnamed contracts, i.e. mixed and sui generis contracts, and to determine the appropriateness and compatibility of the lease contract with the business cooperation contract.

Business Structure of Marinas as Protection Against COVID-19

The threat of COVID-19 has affected all economies of the world, including those of the European Union and Croatia, as well as the sector of nautical tourism. The threat has appeared suddenly, and the responses to it have been varied. The assistance provided by EU member state governments varied, and the Croatian government implemented two sets of measures that were not particularly developmental, but rather focused on preserving jobs and filling the budget. Consequently, the burden fell on entrepreneurs, including marinas, which, apart from the state-owned marina chain ACI, are classified as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Looking at the business performance results for 2020, marinas experienced negative results, similar to other entrepreneurs. However, due to their specific business structure, the negative results for certain marinas were significantly lower. In particular, marinas with five anchors, which have a wide and diversified product range, performed worse than marinas with two anchors. However, the use of management tools and elements of modest controlling in the management of the higher category marinas minimised the negative results for the "other" product group in the service portfolio. Since the results for 2020 and the forecasts for 2021 are known, the objective of this research is to evaluate the segments of the marinas' business structure that have been crucial in reducing the negative results. The research hypothesis states that the specific business structure of marinas has a significant impact on lower negative earnings than expected. The method of sampling and approximating the size of marinas and berths is applied based on statistical data through basic comparative analysis. This is only preliminary research based on limited dataset.

Features of Nautical Tourism in Portugal—Projected Destination Image with a Sustainability Marketing Approach

Nautical tourism stands out for its potential to achieve social-economic development in coastal and island destinations and as a lever for sustainable tourism. However, the lack of a clear definition of nautical tourism at the international level makes it difficult to characterize it, and the case of Portugal is no exception. In fact, despite the enormous potential of Portuguese nautical tourism, there is a lack of studies that characterize this type of tourism in the Portuguese tourism destination. This paper intends to make a first attempt to fill this gap by assessing the projected destination image of Portuguese nautical tourism with a sustainable marketing approach. In the design of the research, the content analysis methodology was applied. The data were collected from the official websites of the Portuguese legislation and the Portuguese nautical tourism players and analyzed through a theoretical model of sustainable marketing deriving from the literature review. The results provide the sustainable projected destination image of Portuguese nautical tourism and identify the main trends in the legislative framework, tourism activities, networks of players, and support infrastructures for Portuguese nautical tourism. The findings provide practical and useful insights for Portuguese nautical tourism stakeholders aiming to improve a sustainable projected destination image, as well as for researchers identifying research gaps in the nautical tourism topics. This study also provides a new methodological contribution, proposing a theoretical model of the projected destination image of nautical tourism with an approach to sustainable marketing, which can be applied to other nautical tourism destinations.

Environmental Requirements for Passenger Terminal Development (Case Study of Zadar County)

Cruising as part of nautical tourism is an important segment of maritime passenger transportation. Nautical tourism and cruise tourism have developed over the years and are experiencing increasing demand, with the exception of the pandemic period, when cruise tourism did not experience positive trends. In normal tourism conditions, high growth requires an increase in supply, which can have negative consequences for the environment. This is especially true when the destination where cruise tourism is developing has a fragile ecosystem. At a time when environmental sustainability and responsibility are becoming increasingly important, tourism supply is implementing the parameters of sustainability in its development, and cruise tourism is no exception. However, the fact is that the development of passenger terminals inevitably changes the view of the coast. The aim of this paper is to thoroughly define the parameters whose reconstruction is necessary for the construction of a passenger terminal and for which it is necessary to analyze the impact on the environment in order to make the construction itself environmentally friendly. Systematic analysis is the most appropriate method for delineating the parameters whose reconstruction could harm the environment and have negative effects on the sustainability of the ecosystem as well as on tourism and locals in the area. The results of the analysis conducted on the example of capacity construction in the coastal region of Zadar County show that special consideration must be given to protected natural values, landscape properties, population, purpose and use of space, noise and air. It can be concluded that disregarding all the construction parameters described in the study and emphasizing the financial benefits could affect the ecosystem in the long run. Besides the analyses, the proposal for the environmental monitoring program was elaborated on in this paper.

Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis for Nautical Anchorage Selection

Considering that moorings and anchorages for vessels have recently become an important factor in nautical tourism, the selection of their locations is a complex and demanding process. This paper examines numerous criteria from different perspectives to determine the most favourable/optimal locations for nautical anchorages, meeting the conditions and recommendations of professionals from several domains, by applying the methods of multi-criteria analysis. The goal of solving the problem this way is to meet the expectations of future users, spatial planners, possible investors, and concessionaires interested in doing business in these areas, as well as entities that strive to preserve and protect marine and underwater animal life and the environment by preventing their degradation and pollution. However, since there are no precisely defined recommendations for the establishment of nautical anchorages, in the procedures for determining the locations of nautical anchorages, it is possible to use general criteria they must fulfil. The best locations for nautical anchorages may be found, and this research represents a transparent, repeatable, and well-documented approach for methodically solving the problem. This is demonstrated by a comparison of many methods of multi-criteria analysis, utilizing a variety of parameters. On the other side, this calls for proficiency in a wide range of disciplines, including architecture, geodesy, marine safety and transport, architecture, biology, ecology, mathematical programming, operational research, information technology, environmental protection, and others. The best locations for nautical anchorages should be chosen based on the size and number of vessels, available space, depth, distance from the coast, level of protection of the anchorage waters, and many other limiting factors, keeping in mind that the spots which simultaneously satisfy a greater number of significant criteria are preferable. Using multi-criteria analysis methods (AHP (Analytical Hierarchy Process) and TOPSIS (The Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution)), evaluating and classifying criteria as well as assigning weight values to selected criteria, this paper investigates the possibility of obtaining the best locations from a group of possible ones. The most important factor when applying multi-criteria analysis methods refer to the following: vessel safety (navigation), hydrometeorological, spatial, economic, and environmental criteria. The main contribution of the paper displays in the proposal to optimize the decision-making process, when determining the optimal locations of nautical anchorages, in accordance with previously defined criteria.

Age Simulation Suits in Education and Training of Staff for the Nautical Tourism Sector

Education can be the first step towards sustainable tourism. This article discusses the use of age simulation suits to educate university students majoring in nautical tourism. The research goal was to verify whether using such suits in the process can sensitize students to problems that may be faced by the elderly in marinas. The goal of the research has been achieved through a pilot study carried out on a group of students. In the experiment, two Sakamoto suits were used that simulate a number of ailments characteristic of old age. The participants found the classes using the suits to be helpful in both their private lives and future careers, when they will face problems resulting from an aging society. After the experiment, the participants declared a greater understanding of the elderly and were able to identify more problems that senior tourists might encounter while visiting marinas. Therefore, in the future, they may make decisions to implement solutions that accommodate the needs of senior tourists in marinas. This is the first step toward fulfilling the Sustainable Development Goals and creating accessible, sustainable tourism.

Landscape Values in a Marina in Granada (Spain): Enhancing Landscape Management through Public Participation

Landscape values are related to the attributes that people assign to a perceived landscape. They reflect marina user perceptions, thus representing a feedback tool for marina managers to use to verify the degree of user satisfaction. This study focused on identifying and assessing a marina’s landscape values. We took Marina del Este (Granada, Spain) as a case study. We considered interviews and a questionnaire to devise methods to enhance the participation of stakeholders and users. First, the SWOT analysis from stakeholder interviews enabled us to collect management’s perceptions. Second, the survey gathered the marina’s landscape values, comprising 104 respondents from visitors and users. ANOVA and PCA methods were applied to check the suitability of the values. The results showed that the marina should be in keeping with an atmosphere of tranquility and well-being. Nevertheless, there was a need to improve values related to nautical tourism, such as hospitality and maintenance, dealing with the lack of space and an excess of urbanization in the surroundings. Marina managers should consider these outcomes and analyze the points of improvement to establish the causes of these disagreements and propose solutions for the established management model. The perception of stakeholders and users can enable more consensual policies with greater levels of acceptance and involvement.

Spinal Fractures during Touristic Motorboat Sea Cruises: An Underestimated and Avoidable Phenomenon

Each summer, many vacationers enjoy the Mediterranean Sea shores. Among the recreational nautical activities, motorboat cruise is a popular choice that leads to a significant number of thoracolumbar spine fractures at our clinic. This phenomenon seems to be underreported, and its injury mechanism remains unclear. Here, we aim to describe the fracture pattern and propose a possible mechanism of injury. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical, radiological, and contextual parameters of all motorboat-related spinal fracture cases during a 14-year period (2006-2020) in three French neurosurgical level I centers bordering the Mediterranean Sea. Fractures were classified according to the AOSpine thoracolumbar classification system. A total of 79 patients presented 90 fractures altogether. Women presented more commonly than men (61/18). Most of the lesions occurred at the thoracolumbar transition region between T10 and L2 (88.9% of the levels fractured). Compression A type fractures were seen in all cases (100%). Only one case of posterior spinal element injury was observed. The occurrence of neurological deficit was rare (7.6%). The most commonly encountered context was a patient sitting at the boat's bow, without anticipating the trauma, when the ship's bow suddenly elevated while crossing another wave, resulting in a "deck-slap" mechanism hitting and propelling the patient in the air. Thoracolumbar compression fractures are a frequent finding in nautical tourism. Passengers seated at the boat's bow are the typical victims. Some specific biomechanical patterns are involved with the boat's deck suddenly elevating across the waves. More data with biomechanical studies are necessary to understand the phenomenon. Prevention and safety recommendations should be given before motorboat use to fight against these avoidable fractures.

Marina Business in Relation to Development

Marina Business, or Marina in&with Business is a new term in the terminology of nautical tourism, introduced in Croatia in the conditions of COVID-19. In other words, the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the old, disorganized relationships of entities operating in and with marinas. The damaged relations during the pandemic showed all the illogic in their existing relations as well as the damage to the better results of Croatian charters and ports of nautical tourism, especially marinas. The fact that the state distanced itself from the economy and the development of entrepreneurship was reflected in the development of nautical tourism in Croatia, which developed independently in all its sub-forms after the Homeland War. Favourable post-war opportunities on the market of nautical tourism offer, i.e. lagging in the development of nautical tourism capacities and high dynamics of tourism demand, favoured nautical tourism enterprises that achieved positive business results until the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. If the problem of cruising is excluded, both large world cruises and small domestic cruises, nautical tourism ports, especially marinas and charters, developed dynamically, but with the intention of doing profitable business, the problems gradually deepened. At the same time, the relationship problem could not be solved due to the good mutual business results. The emergence of the pandemic in 2020 showed the other side of the cooperative relationship between charterers and marinas, which for both subjects led to the distancing of the state in aid programs that should have been specific and not general for subjects of all types of businesses. In addition to the problems of charters and marinas, it is also necessary to consider the activity of skippers, who are of great importance for Croatian charter, which is considered the largest in the world. The services of skippers are used by about 40% of sailors, and they are an important segment for the success of the Croatian charter business. It should be noted here that in the further paragraphs of this paper the terms nautical tourism ports and marinas will be used, and this is because charter is mainly located in marinas and only to a lesser extent in other forms of nautical tourism ports, so it is also mentioned in nautical tourism ports. Thus, the relationship “marina-charter-skippers” represents a working symbiosis that links it to the intention of all successful businesses. The goal of the research is to valorise the factors of the quality of business cooperation and good business relationships that ensure profitable business for everyone. The research hypothesis states that the necessary good business cooperation can be achieved through a higher level of cooperation than before.

Towards a new body of marine tourism research: A scoping literature review of nautical tourism

Nautical tourism is a long established and expanding form of tourism within the wider maritime tourism industry. This study addresses the blurred boundaries of this form of tourism and proposes an original definition. Then it explores economic and management related literature via a scoping review of 118 articles published in Scopus-listed journals from 2001 to 2020. Findings confirm a growing attention to nautical tourism over the years but with relatively limited research agendas. Literature often concentrates on very specific issues while ignoring essential research areas related to the economic relevance and impact of nautical tourism, the management and marketing issue for nautical tourism firms and the traits and behaviour of nautical tourists. Research is also geographically concentrated: three-quarters of authors are affiliated with institutions in the United States, Croatia, Spain and Italy, which form also the most investigated regions. This paves the way for further studies to fill the gaps in the literature and stimulates a stronger structuring of the research field and of the community of scholars who are devoted to it. Policy makers and managers in nautical tourism should be aware of the boundaries and peculiarities of this form of tourism, to avoid conflict or confusion with other types of sea- and coast-related tourism. By analysing the best practices from the most developed nautical regions, they should understand the potential contribution of nautical tourism to local development and the need for a cooperative and systemic approach with local stakeholders, to foster the sustainable development of nautical destinations and firms. Industry players should also increase their knowledge of the traits of nautical tourists, to identify the segment structure of the market and provide more tailored services. Finally, the small number of studies on the management and marketing of nautical tourism firms suggests a limited dialogue between academia and practitioners: a stricter cooperation could support further exploration of these issues, with mutual benefits. • The boundaries of nautical tourism within marine tourism are still blurred. • Nautical tourism has an important economic impact, widely explored in literature. • Sustainability and responsible behaviour are core areas in this field of research. • Important gaps in literature call for further studies in nautical tourism management. • Scholars and practitioners should cooperate to further explore management and marketing of nautical tourism firms.

What is a Risk of Increased Traffic in Boka Bay?

Boka is undeniably one of the most beautiful destinations in the world. This may be a subjective opinion, however being included in UNESCO’s world heritage list may be an objective proof of such a statement. This is recognized by the Government, and nautical tourism has been set as one of the main development strategies for this area. The economic growth, on the other side brings problems that our limited sources can hardly cope with. Increased traffic i.e. number and size of vessels (boats/yachts/ships) that are visiting Boka Bay, enormous fuel quantities burnt by giant engines on mega cruisers, by-products of every day processes such as garbage and sewage cause many side effects that could be hidden. These are all risks that could create catastrophic consequences if not handled properly, and in long term, may turn one of the finest destinations into a place to be avoided. Navigation is a skill. Years of experience are required to become professional navigator. It is not a sport and it is risky to treat it like that. Risk management concept will be utilized for assessing mentioned risks and for establishing controls that will definitely reduce them. After short introduction of the concept, priority will be given to analysis of all factors that must be taken into account for successful risk assessment. Special attention will be paid for database that must be established for Boka Bay area. Next step in the process is identification of all hazards related to visits of different types of vessels. Setting the criteria and matrixes that are relevant for this special area is essential before final part of the research focused on risk assessment.

Is Investment Contributing to Competitiveness in Nautical Tourism in the Atlantic Area?

The blue economy contributes significantly to the creation of the Atlantic Area’s identity. In addition, the search for outdoor experiences after the COVID-19 lockdown suspensions has renewed the popularity of nautical tourism in this area and in the world. Despite the negative effects of the economic crisis on tourism, evidence suggests that some tourist destinations in the Atlantic area are resilient. Thus, whereas some branches of the blue economy face considerable challenges to increasing competitiveness, others offer opportunities for economic growth and employment. In this context, investment is necessary to lay the foundations for the sustainable development of nautical tourism. However, regarding the role of investment in productivity and competitiveness in the context of crisis, there is no consensus among academics. Thus, we investigate whether the investment contributed to competitiveness in nautical tourism in the Atlantic Area in 2016–2020. We collected data from ORBIS for 29 nautical-tourism companies and performed a quantitative and qualitative narrative analysis of competitiveness indicators, enabling comparisons pre and during crisis. The results highlight the multiplicity of ways in which crisis impacts nautical-tourism firms. The research fills a gap in the literature by investigating the dynamic capabilities of nautical-tourism SMEs in periods of recession, with a special focus on restructuring and competitiveness strategies. Some recommendations are outlined to promote the efficiency of resources and stimulate the competitiveness of companies to allow the regional development of nautical tourism in the territory of the Atlantic area.

Portugal nautical stations: Strategic alliances for sport tourism and environmental sustainability.

Nautical tourism is a tourist product with great development in the European space and a lot of potential to promote and develop tourist destinations. Considering the dynamics of nautical tourism management and the importance of meeting the specificities of this market niche, the objective of this study was to analyse the strategic alliances for the development of the offer of nautical tourism products, namely the strategic goals and sustainable environmental practices adopted by their actors which integrated the strategic alliances in order to certificate a plethora of nautical stations in Portugal. Between September and December 2021, 17 Portuguese nautical stations' application forms were collected. Content analysis using Nvivo software was the technique used for data analysis. The results showed a multiplicity of strategic objectives associated with the strategic alliance established between the nautical stations. The strategic vision of nautical stations for the development of strategic alliances is built, firstly, on the objective of structuring the tourism offer, followed by increasing governance and promoting and marketing nautical tourism using the image of the destination. Based on these results, it is possible to infer the importance of nautical stations in destination competitiveness and the role of strategic alliances in facilitating penetration in the nautical tourism market. The managers of nautical stations should consider the use of strategic alliances to make a cooperative marketing in order to improve the experience of the clients. Regarding environmental sustainability practices, the results exposed the prominence of environmental education actions in contrast to the reduced number of nautical stations developing actions for the adoption of sustainable transport. This study contributes to a better understanding of nautical tourism and Portuguese nautical stations, a project of strategic investment in sport and tourism, inferring on the objectives underlying the formation of strategic alliances and on the adopted environmental sustainability practices. The conclusions of this study point to the need for future scientific research on the actual operationalization of the objectives underlying the formation of strategic alliances, as well as the environmental practices developed by nautical stations.

Aggregate models for planning nautical tourism: Basic, trend and seasonal demand

Nautical tourism sector has a strong impact on European GVA (Gross Value Added) and employment. For this sector, there are interesting works in the literature, some of which propose demand modelling in relation to the characteristics of users. These models are disaggregated and specific to territorial realities, they are interesting for the preparation of touristic port projects in the territory concerned, but are not usable for the planning of interventions in a large territorial area such as a region or a country.It is necessary to have studies that directly relate the main characteristics of demand with the structural characteristics of supply given by the berth quantity of a large area. The study of this relation is important for the planning of new touristic ports and / or for the strengthening of existing ones in a large area. It needs to have models of interaction between supply and demand at an aggregate level, useful for planning.The novelty of this paper is to point out modeling issues related to the simulation of nautical tourism demand segments. Aggregate data are the input of different classes of basic simulation models, specified and calibrated in relation to different demand segments. The advanced calibrated models are for trend and seasonal demand, combined in different specifications. The models are studied for a central area of the Mediterranean Sea, the Italy.The paper has the main objective to propose nautical tourism demand models of basic, trend and seasonal classes. The knowledge of the nautical tourism phenomenon and quantification of demand interacting with supply, support the activities planning and programming processes of touristic ports by technicians and researchers.

Assessing the Relationship between Landscape and Management within Marinas: The Managers’ Perception

Marinas are maritime features related to nautical tourism. The contemplation of pleasant surroundings acquires great importance in achieving this leisure character. The European Landscape Convention undertakes the necessity of integrating landscape into the planning policies. Thus, the marina’s management decision-making processes should reflect this awareness of the landscape. However, the landscape evaluation has not been appropriately considered despite its importance. This research attempts to introduce an initial framework to evaluate this influence, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of the different subjects. For this purpose, the most significant elements of the marina management related to the landscape were rated, both from management and landscape perspectives. Two expert panels from Spain were used: 23 experts evaluated the above elements following the Delphi method, and 17 weighted the main management activities using DHP. Results show that there is a lack of concern for the landscape. Managers tend to consider physical conditions, whereas subjective conditions are relegated to the background. In this respect, this methodology provides the first stage for the landscape/management relationship, helping managers identify the main topics and prioritize related actions.

Smart Technology Applied in The Management of Yachting Marinas

The objective of this research is to analyse smart technologies implemented in marinas and their impact upon the safety and service quality improvement, sustainability, and environmental protection, as well as energy consumption and operations optimization. KPI and a definition of smart marina concept have been derived based on the smart port concept. The analysis has been conducted on a sample of 78 marinas. Ultimately, the scientific analysis has been performed in order to determine the advantages and disadvantages of introducing smart technologies in marina management. The results indicate that the marinas are undergoing a revolution in terms of facilitating booking management process and achieving greater safety and service quality, but still need to improve in the field of monitoring and controlling nautical tourism impact upon the environment.