The Australian Marinas Value Study has commenced

The Australian Marinas Value Study has commenced.

The collection of data to underpin the Australian Marinas Value Study has commenced. Launched at the recent Marinas 2009 conference and exhibition on the Gold Coast, the study will aggregate information provided by marinas to quantify the economic and employment value of Australian marinas.     

The study is an initiative of the Marina Industries Association of Australia (MIAA). It is actively supported by state agencies in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria and the Australian Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research (DIIRS). As with the other agencies DIIRS is represented in the Study Working Group which is rolling out the project. DIIRS has allocated resources to the study as it recognises the importance of reliable statistics for use by industry and Government to underpin analysis for future industry planning and policy development.

The Board of MIAA considers it a vitally important project to support the sustainable growth of marinas. 

Jeff d’Albora, President of MIAA says the Study is an essential initiative by the marina industries to better quantify the value of marinas. ”For too long we have lacked robust data to present to government, investors, bankers and the wider community on the positive economic and employment impacts of our marinas.”

The technical components of the project are being led by Dr. Ed Mahoney, professor and industry extension specialist at Michigan State University and a co-director of the Recreational Marine Research Centre (RMRC) in the USA. Dr Mahoney has developed world class marine industry research in the USA. He impressed industry and government in 2007 when he provided a key note address at Marinas 2007 on the opportunity for similar research to be developed in Australia.

In the two years since that address a methodology has been developed and tested and the study is now ready for the collection of data. 2008/09 financial year data is used in the Study. MIAA is encouraging all commercial marinas in Australia to enter data. Executive Officer of MIAA Colin Bransgrove said industry stands to gain a lot from the outcomes of the study but marina businesses must make the effort to participate. “It is in the interests of every marina in Australia to enter their data. The bigger the sample size the more robust the data and the better the quality of the analysis that will be possible by Dr Mahoney and his team”. 

The Study Working Group has a three year timetable for the Study. Data will be entered and analyzed annually to identify trends and to build up the body of knowledge relating to the value of marinas across Australia.
   
The project website to enter data is www.aussiemarinasurvey.com