Els PortsL'Alt MaestratEl Baix MaestratL'AlcalaténLa Plana AltaLa Plana BaixaL'Alt MillarsL'Alt PalànciaEl Racó d'AdemúsEls SerransEl Camp de TúriaEl Camp de MorvedreL'Horta NordL'Horta de ValènciaL'Horta OestL'Horta SudLa Plana d'Utiel-RequenaLa Foia de BunyolLa Vall de CofrentsLa Ribera AltaLa Ribera BaixaLa Canal de NavarrésLa CosteraLa Vall d'AlbaidaLa SaforEl ComtatL'AlcoiàL'Alt VinalopóEl Vinalopó MitjàLa Marina AltaLa Marina BaixaL'AlacantíEl Baix VinalopóEl Baix SeguraEls PortsL'Alt MaestratEl Baix MaestratL'AlcalaténLa Plana AltaLa Plana BaixaL'Alt MillarsL'Alt PalànciaEl Racó d'AdemúsEls SerransEl Camp de TúriaEl Camp de MorvedreL'Horta NordL'Horta de ValènciaL'Horta OestL'Horta SudLa Plana d'Utiel-RequenaLa Foia de BunyolLa Vall de CofrentsLa Ribera AltaLa Ribera BaixaLa Canal de NavarrésLa CosteraLa Vall d'AlbaidaLa SaforEl ComtatL'AlcoiàL'Alt VinalopóEl Vinalopó MitjàLa Marina AltaLa Marina BaixaL'AlacantíEl Baix VinalopóEl Baix Segura
VA|ES|EN
Diari Valencià logo

Diari Valencià

Valencian Community Consolidates as a Global Nautical Hub

Four major international events and business support reinforce the territory's strategic position in sports and leisure boating.

Generic image of the Valencian coast with boats and emblematic buildings in the background.
IA

Generic image of the Valencian coast with boats and emblematic buildings in the background.

The Valencian Community is gearing up for a key year in nautical sports, with four major international events set to enhance its global profile and economic impact.

The Valencian Community is positioning itself as a global epicenter for sports and leisure boating thanks to a calendar featuring four prominent events this year. The hosting of competitions such as the SailGP, the 52 Super Series, and the Valencia Boat Show, alongside the strategic role of The Ocean Race with its start in Alicante, solidify the region as an undisputed benchmark.
To analyze the economic impact, international projection, and development of the nautical industry, a meeting was held at the Innsomnia headquarters in La Marina. The event, organized by the Cluster of the Sports Industry of the Valencian Community, was sponsored by the Valencia Boat Show and supported by the General Directorate of Sport and the General Directorate of Industry of the Generalitat Valenciana. Key ecosystem companies such as Transvia, Miobio, Molca, Tyris, and Ctech also participated.
The presence of these international events, including the Valencia Boat Show, one of the country's leading nautical fairs, places the Valencian Community in a privileged position on the global nautical scene.
In the first panel discussion, representatives such as Tony Alquézar (CEO of Los Gallos SailGP Team), Estefania Esteve (Finance Director of The Ocean Race), Lars Böcking (Communications Director of the 52 Super Series), and Isabel Gil (Director of the Valencia Boat Show) agreed on the importance of collaboration between organizers, administrations, and the business community to maximize the events' legacy.
Tony Alquézar highlighted that SailGP aims to expand to 20 Grand Prix events in the coming years and noted that Valencia met the ideal conditions to become a new host venue, expressing confidence that it will become one of the best on the calendar due to its "exceptional infrastructure, a great tradition linked to the sea, and the necessary organizational capacity".
For his part, Lars Böcking emphasized that the fifth 52 Super Series event in Valencia consolidates a relationship dating back to 2012, highlighting the competition's growth from four to 16 boats and the economic activity each race generates.
Isabel Gil underscored the value of the Valencia Boat Show, with 17 years of history in the city, for "creating opportunities for the local industry, boosting tourism and sports, generating economic activity, and bringing boating closer to new audiences".
Estefania Esteve detailed the impact of The Ocean Race in Alicante, with over 1.6 million visitors to the Ocean Live Park, nearly half a billion in impact on Spanish GDP, 8,000 jobs created, and over 200 million in media impact, in addition to 41 million in tax revenue in previous editions.
The second panel addressed the role of the local business sector. Carlos de Beltrán (C-Tech), Marian Sánchez (Transvia Sport), Lucía Martínez (TyrisCorp), and Sergio Brisa (Miobio) agreed on how accumulated experience has enabled the development of specialized capabilities, the creation of new business opportunities, and the international positioning of Valencian companies. They positively valued the work of the Cluster of the Sports Industry as a connecting point.
Participants concurred that these major nautical events serve as a strategic tool for the international promotion of the territory, generating economic impact, attracting high-value visitors, and driving innovation in key sectors such as tourism, technology, and services.

Related News