Mooring in the green room. Sailors’ preferences and willingness to pay for green policies in marinas

Abstract

‘Going green’ is still challenging in the yachting industry partly due to the lack of consumer-centric approaches. This study assesses sailors' preferences and willingness to pay for green policies in marinas, in the context of other measures to increase health security and digital transformation. To do so, a choice experiment was designed through the lens of stakeholders and supported by the Delphi technique. The study is based on the marinas of the Canary Islands in the Atlantic crossing and involved European sailors as potential users. Data confirm that sailors' utility and intention to visit marinas increase the most when ambitious green programs are in place, thereby confirming a high environmental sensitivity among them. More specifically, solar energy use, single-use plastic eradication, and waste recycling are the programs with the greatest positive impact on sailors' willingness to pay. This indicates a potential profitability and market opportunities derived from more environmental friendly practices in marinas. The study opens a new perspective to improve incentive and funding schemes and close implementation gaps in recreational ports.