Boatsetter, the leading peer-to-peer boat rental platform in the U.S., announced a 270% increase year-over-year in traffic. The rise reflects rapidly growing consumer interest in peer-to-peer boat rentals in which Boatsetter continues to be the dominant industry leader, with over 19,000 rental listings in 600+ cities worldwide.
Boatsetter recorded the highest booking numbers for the month of June in company history with peer-to-peer rentals increasing 74% compared to the same period last year. The company also reported a 40% increase in listings on its platform as owners seek meaningful ways to help offset the overall cost of boat ownership.
The dramatic surge in bookings comes amid the ongoing pandemic, during a time when long periods of isolation and social distancing halted most forms of travel and recreational activities. The record-breaking numbers strongly indicate that as consumers shift their summer travel plans towards staying closer to home, demand for boat rentals will continue to rise.
“For years, we have seen the demand for boat sharing services continue to increase, thanks to companies like Boatsetter making boat rentals more accessible and affordable than ever before,” said Jaclyn Baumgarten, CEO of Boatsetter. “Now, after months of pent-up demand, we expect boating to continue to gain traction as a preferred recreational activity as consumers opt for a safe, unique and cost-effective way to experience the outdoors with their families this summer.”
Based on data from Boatsetter’s user behavior survey, customers revealed the following preferences and insights for outdoor activities, booking flexibility, and destination proximity.
- Outdoor activities with limited contact. With industry-wide search demand for boat rentals up +90% YoY for June, boating proves to be a great way to avoid crowds and stay safe while enjoying the mental health benefits of being outdoors with family and friends. The most desired experiences requested on Boatsetter’s platform are sunset cruises and water sports.
- Booking flexibility. Last-minute bookings reserved the week of the scheduled trips continues to increase. Boatsetter is the only peer-to-peer boat rental platform in the U.S. to offer Instant Book, enabling consumers to find readily available boat options that offer flexible booking and cancellation policies.
- Destination proximity. Boatsetter’s data indicated renter interest in boating lies 51% locally for family outings and small group excursions and 49% while on vacation. With 95% of Americans living within an hour drive of a navigable body of water, Boatsetter’s expansive inventory of rentals available in communities near rivers, lakes, and oceans across the U.S., makes boating more accessible as it does not limit consumers to renting solely in larger metropolitan cities or top boating markets.
For more information or to book a rental, visit boatsetter.com.
