The Baltic Sea is the youngest sea in the world, surrounded by continents with a narrow and shallow connection to the ocean. Each year, it is partially covered with ice, has low salinity, and shallow depths, making it a unique body of water.
First and foremost, the Baltic Sea is rich of natural features. The Baltic is dotted with numerous archipelagos and islands, such as the Stockholm Archipelago in Sweden and the Åland Islands between Sweden and Finland. These provide diverse and picturesque landscapes to explore, with sheltered waters ideal for sailing.
The relatively calm and brackish waters of the Baltic Sea provide a less demanding environment for sailing compared to the ocean or open seas. This makes it an attractive destination for both novice and experienced sailors. Coastal landscapes, sandy beaches, and diverse marine life offer a scenic backdrop for sailing, while the presence of unique flora and fauna, including various bird and marine mammal species, enhances the region's appeal.
The Baltic Sea is easily accessible from several major European cities, making it a convenient destination for sailors from across the continent. An extensive network of waterways and canals further increases connectivity in the region.
The Baltic Sea region is rich in cultural and historical sites, including medieval towns, castles, and UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as the Old Town of Tallinn and the Hanseatic City of Lübeck. Sailors can experience the region's rich history by docking in various ports and marinas.
Undoubtedly, this is facilitated by well-developed infrastructure, including modern marinas that support safe and comfortable sailing experiences, with prices still generally reasonable, especially compared to the Mediterranean. In the Baltic Sea region (BSR), sailing largely relies on public support, particularly in creating and maintaining necessary infrastructure like breakwaters and marinas. Although marinas generate spill-over effects, increasing the onshore offer, the direct revenues for marina operators are relatively low due to the short season and relatively low service prices. Despite these challenges, the untapped potential of the sailing tourism sector in the BSR is recognized and is being strengthened at local, national, and international levels, for example through Interreg-funded projects.
The Baltic Sea is an attractive destination, boasting high-quality infrastructure. However, the region has yet to reach the visibility of international competitors such as the Mediterranean, especially in its ability to leverage the economic potential of recreational sailing. Joining their forces, the main sailing tourism networks, and associations sought the support of the Interreg Baltic Sea region programme to close this competitiveness gap as a tourist destinationSouth Coast Baltic, East Baltic Coast, Union of Swedish Guest Harbors, Association of Leisure Boat Harbors in Denmark, Enterprising Archipelago/Åland coalesced in the “BaltSusBoating” project: a strategic cooperation at the Baltic Sea region level. Collaborating with the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) and the University of Tartu, they have jointly set goals and measures for cooperation in destination development and marketing up to 2030.
With a grant of approximatively € 0.5 million euro from the Interreg BSR Programme some very concrete and founding activities were finally possible, on the scale of the entire Baltic region.
First of all, a new cooperation platform has been established to facilitate regular strategic dialogue among the main sailing networks and associations, also engaging sailing port operators across the Baltic Sea region. As part of this effort, a "Sustainable Development Action Plan" has been created: think sustainable marinas; eco-friendly boats, environmentally responsible sailor behaviours.
This plan aims to enhance the environmental standards, while promoting a non-disruptive model of tourism: one that attracts sailors to admire the Baltic Sea although not to the detriment of its ecosystem.
Furthermore, educational activities are being conducted to help implement best practices effectively. The project also involves an ongoing dialogue with policymakers to gain support for making the Baltic Sea a more sustainable and competitive sailing destination.
A unified approach to branding and marketing the Baltic Sea as a premier sailing destination is being developed. This includes testing the waters in major events like the world’s largest boating fair, “Boot” in Düsseldorf. The insights gained from these activities will help refine comprehensive marketing strategies and an action plan for the region’s sailing tourism until 2030.
By the end of the project in autumn 2024, "BaltSusBoating 2030" aims to establish strong institutional foundations and strategic frameworks. These will guide the ongoing development of the Baltic Sea as a sustainable and competitive sailing destination throughout the decade, ensuring it attracts more sailing enthusiasts from around the world, akin to the Mediterranean.
As part of the "BaltSusBoating 2030" project, and with the help of an experienced tourism branding agency, key brand features were tested in January 2024 by way of a promotional leaflet at the "Boot" fair in Düsseldorf, in real conditions with the target group.
The approach was based on strategic storytelling, capturing special features of diverse destinations and condense them into a cohesive and effective brand identity. Representatives of the individual sub-regions workshopped ways to illustrate the most important assets and features of their destinations.
Additionally, to convey the special features of sailing as a product, specific strengths of each destination were identified as central "Experience Fields": port life, history and culture, people, and nature. Before a specific "product owner" could present their destination, everyone else was asked to describe their view of that region (nowhere is the difference between self-assessment and perception by others as important as in tourism marketing).
Overall, the brand concept for Baltic sailing was positively received by the target group. It has the potential to serve as the basis for a larger campaign. Nevertheless, the existing branding is temporary and still a prototype developed very quickly - with a view to the first test. Even if this test was generally very positive, these are only basic elements that still require further development.
Further steps are therefore necessary to build and develop a complete Baltic sailing brand.
The BaltSusBoating 2030 project, ending in September 2024, has successfully fostered shared knowledge and best practices in the Baltic Sea region. It showcased the potential of multi-level, cross-sectoral, and cross-border cooperation in destination development. The initiative engaged numerous stakeholders, sparking dialogue between market-oriented stakeholders and policymakers, and strengthening relationships.
However, the lack of continuous funding poses risks to sustaining and further developing these initiatives. Continuous support is crucial to maintain and enhance the cross-border destination effectively.
Baltic Sea marinas attract a diverse range of visitors beyond sailors. To develop the Baltic Sea region as a sustainable tourist destination, a unified vision, business strategy, and sustainable business model are essential. This aligns with the 2016 European Commission study, which emphasized reviving brand identity and leveraging quality recognition for coastal destinations. Enhanced cooperation among sub-destinations, sailing networks, marinas, local authorities, and enterprises is vital for creating a cohesive, vibrant, and competitive cross-border destination.
Municipalities and public-private partnerships play a crucial role in infrastructure development and investments, ensuring sustainable growth both environmentally and socio-economically. Investing in marina infrastructure and capacity will increase visitor numbers and enhance the tourist experience.
Integrating local communities into tourism development is essential for creating a cross-border destination. Marinas should be seen as engines of sustainable tourism, maximizing their use and developing them as key players in tourist networks. Sustainability can be a defining element of coastal and maritime tourism in the Baltic Sea region, offering a competitive edge over other regions. Promoting sustainable development as a core component of destination management will create lasting value, ensuring the Baltic Sea remains a top choice for sailing enthusiasts and tourists alike.
The Baltic Sustainable Boating 2030 project proves the strength of multi-level and transnational cooperation and provides evidence that it is inevitable in creating successful cross-border tourist destination.
Author:
Marta Czarnecka-Gallas, PhD
Project Coordinator
Association of Sea Cities and Municipalities Gdańsk/Poland
More information about the initiative can be found at https://interreg-baltic.eu/project/baltsusboating-2030/.
