This 'Airbnb of Boats' Shows the Upside of a Growing Water Tours Sector

From a catamaran in California or a kayak in Croatia, water-based recreational experiences are in high demand, according to boat booking trends.

For one boat rental company, GetMyBoat with over 150 000 water experiences in 184 countries, bookings have increased nine-fold when comparing January 2019 to this January. As a result, boat owners, captains, and tour operators are seeing growth as their boats are rented more frequently, increasing their earnings, which range from $25,000 annually to over $100,000 a month.

The continued craving for unique and memorable experiences has seen boating and getting out on the water become a cool culture rooted in specific destinations. Miami is one such example.

Marcel Perdomo, the owner of Mboat Rental based in Miami, Florida said he had gone from a recreational boat owner to a fully fledge boat rental business. He started in 2017 with one recreational boat that he would list for weekend tours, on what he describes as this Airbnb or Uber for boats. He now owns three boats and has booked over 3 200 tours with GetMyBoat, earning a Super Host title as the operator with the most bookings on the platform.

"We've been able to make this boating culture cool. If you go to Los Angeles, you'll probably go see the movie studios, that kind of stuff. If you go to New York, you go to Broadway.

"If you come to Miami, you have to