ibinews.com International Boat Industry | AUGUST–SEPTEMBER 2019 39
Domestic demand for sail remains softREAL GDP GROWTH (2018) 2.5%
REAL GDP GROWTH (2019 est) 1.7%
NUMBER OF ADULTS 7.7 MILLION
NUMBER $ MILLIONAIRES 348.000
BOAT PARK 755,000
CONSUMER CONFIDENCE
(Change in index points Jun/Jul) -3.3%
NEW CAR SALES
(Change Jan-Jun ‘18/19) -5.7%SWEDEN
T
he domestic boat market in Sweden
has been enjoying stable growth for
several years, fuelled by an upsurge
in demand for smaller motorboats up to
8m. Equipment sales too have remained
robust with the only softness to be found
in the sailboat sector, with the number of
sailing yachts dropping to an historic low.
For Sweden, the good times continue
to roll on with 2018 registering as the third
consecutive year with sales at high levels.
In total 20,600 boats, canoes and personal
watercraft were sold in the country where
one in seven people have their own boat.
Buoyant sales and high levels of consumer
engagement mean that aftermarket sectors
for both equipment and services are also in
rude health.
As with much of Europe, the Nordic
regions were blessed with a long, hot
summer in 2018, giving a major boost to
boat sales after a surprisingly cold spring.
Overall the weather was a major factor for
the good boat sales.
During 2018, Swedish boat exports
increased by 11.5% in volume and 21% in
value. At the same time, imports grew 10%
in volume and fell 10% in value. One of
the key factors for this was the shrinking
sailboat market, which is particularly
apparent in traditionally keen sailing
countries like Sweden and Finland.
Swedish boat production overall
increased 1.6% in volume and 5.5% in value.
Mats Eriksson, CEO of Swedish boat Sweden’s landscape has always encouraged taking to the water