It was quite clear around the spring last year that despite the restrictions and lockdowns across Europe and worldwide, the charter business would have a great sailing season. The bookings and reservations were growing week by week and very soon the number reached 60% of the record-breaking 2019. As the weeks went by, the visits were growing even more and in the beginning of July, the number of charter guests reached 90% compared to the same period two years before.
The growth continued with minor inconsistencies through July, August and the beginning of September. These are great results considering the pandemic circumstances and the fact that the fleet had been reduced by almost four hundred vessels. And then there was a grand finale. As of mid-September, the number of visits started to exceed the results from two years before.
First in the week from September 11 to 17 the figures were higher by 5% , the following week the growth was by 15% and at the beginning of October the number of visits was better by 30%. The growing trend continued until the end of the sailing season. This is a great announcement for the season to come and charter companies have decided to keep the fleets and not to sell the boats as they did to a great extent in the last year.
Another thing is that the results from the late summer confirm the growing habit of sailing in the autumn.
