Economic uncertainty and a spike in fuel costs have been blamed for a reduction in the number of yachts visiting Lymington Harbour this year.
While overall causal income has been good, Lymington Harbour Commissioners have heard that figures reveal that revenue from overnight and short-stay visitors to Lymington Harbour “continued to be depressed” in May and June.
Revealing that other local harbours had reported similar falls, Lymington Harbour Master Ryan Willegers said: “Part of that was weather-related in the early part of May, but running all the way through that is the uncertain economic climate which is depressing the whole market, and we know that other harbours are seeing the same thing.
“We talk regularly to other harbours in the Solent so we know that this downturn in casual visitors is being seen across the board.”
In order to offset the loss in revenue from short term overnight visitors, Lymington Harbour has made a number of moorings available for longer term monthly lets.
Mr Willegers said: “The berths for overnight visitors were not being fully utilised so we have moved some across to longer term lets in the hope that this will broadly offset the reduction in revenue.”
However, Mr Willegers explained that the new longer term lets are granted on a monthly basis to allow the harbour commissioners to regularly review the demand for casual overnight stays.
“If we suddenly begin to see a surge in demand for overnight visitor moorings we can adapt quite quickly, “ said Mr Willegers, continuing: “It is a real balancing act because we understand it is the short stay overnight visitors that bring tourism revenue to the town and we are conscious that we want the mooring to be available if the demand is there.”
