City shares plans to attract recreational boating consumers to its waterfront
NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
(Gloucester, MA) – Today, the city of Gloucester promoted the recently released “Recreational Boating Advisory Committee Report” at the New England Boat Show. The report will serve as a road map to increase job creation, expand tourism and support community development along the city’s waterfront.
Mayor Sefatia Romeo-Theken commissioned the report to develop an action plan to turn Gloucester into a recreational boating leader in the region. The report recommends five key areas that are critical to the city’s success: facilities, harbor-river, services, marketing and partnerships. Gloucester officials contend that the focus on recreational boating will have a positive economic impact on local businesses.
“The City of Gloucester is fortunate to have a vibrant waterfront that attracts businesses and tourists from all over the world,” said Chief Administrative Officer Jim Destino. “To build a balanced economic development strategy, we are always striving to support the present and plan for the future. The findings and recommendations in the Gloucester Recreational Boating Report will assist us as we work to support local businesses, create new jobs and update the infrastructure along our historic waterfront.”
According to the National Marine Manufacturers Association, annual recreational boating in
Massachusetts generates $870 million in revenue with a total annual economic impact of $2 billion.
Recreational boating also supports approximately 17,000 jobs in Massachusetts.
Gloucester is world renowned for its seafood industry and its beautiful beaches. In the coming years, Gloucester seeks to take advantage of the market opportunities and new jobs that a recreational boating hub would provide.
The City, along with its Recreational Boating Committee and local organizations, will continue to meet as plans are implemented to improve the waterfront.
About the City of Gloucester
America’s oldest seaport, the City of Gloucester is known throughout the world as an authentic,
working waterfront community, a place of spectacular natural beauty, and home to a diverse population of about 30,000 residents. An important center for the fishing industry, Gloucester also is proud of its vibrant cultural life and rich art heritage as one of the premier art colonies in the United States. In addition, the city is a destination for thousands of visitors who visit the harbor and its beaches during the summertime. In recent years, Gloucester has been actively diversifying its
traditional maritime economy, adding leading small research institutions such as the UMass Amherst
Large Pelagics Research Laboratory and the Ocean Alliance to the array of local businesses and state and federal agencies working in the city. Recent advancements in Gloucester include new investments in marine robotics and new product development from the fishery.
