Episode 109: Marina Industry Future: Ethan Zone on Tingdene Marinas, Floating Homes & Attracting Younger Boaters

Welcome back to The Boat Princess Podcast. This episode was recorded in the beautiful city of Venice, Italy, where Ethan Zone and I were both attending the ICOMIA World Marinas Conference. It was the perfect setting to sit down and discuss one of my favourite topics—the future of marinas and the boating industry. Ethan is the CEO of the Tingdene Group, a remarkable British family-owned business whose story is one of innovation, vision and diversification. Founded in 1969 as a manufacturer of high-quality park homes, Tingdene has evolved into one of the UK's leading operators of residential parks, holiday parks and marinas. Today, the Group owns and operates 12 marinas across the UK, has an extensive boat sales network, and continues to develop exciting innovations in floating homes, bringing together its decades of expertise in residential living with the ever-growing appeal of waterfront lifestyles. During our conversation we discuss where the marina industry is heading, what we need to do to attract younger generations into both boating and careers within our industry, and why creating vibrant marina communities will become increasingly important. We also explore how changing customer expectations, sustainability, technology and floating living could reshape the marinas of tomorrow. Whether you work in the marine industry, own a marina, or simply love spending time on the water, this is a fascinating conversation that looks beyond where we are today and into what the future may hold. To find out more about the Tingdene Group and their marinas, visit https://tingdeneboating.com. And if you'd like to learn more about Empire Marinas Group, our family-owned marinas, boating facilities and everything we do to help people enjoy life on the water, visit https://www.empiremarinas.com.au. Now, let's head to Venice for my conversation with Ethan Zone of the Tingdene Group.