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Marinas are known to be features related to nautical tourism. It has been defined as a port used exclusively or primarily by pleasure boats, providing services for such boats and their users, and allowing the establishment of a transit between water and land in terms of comfort. Whilst commercial ports are designed to make the port stay of the vessels shorter, marinas are conceived for leisure; therefore, the provision of a pleasant stay is attempted, seeking for a character of permanence more than the mere transit of boats and crews.
Marinas are features associated to nautical tourism, conceived as platforms to accommodate recreation activities on land [1][2][3][4]. Thus, the services provided are preponderant activities when dealing with decision-making process in the management of marinas. However, the responsibility of managers does not lie solely on providing accurate services to boats, seafarers and visitors. Supervision over control and good financial results makes successful marina management [5]. Marinas are a driving force of economic wealth [6][7]. A characteristic landscape should enhance a territory and its tourist appeal as a tourism image [8][9][10]. Thus, a landscape in a marina including an environmental quality and scenic views should be able to gain economic benefits [11][12]. Moreover, the communication of the image of the marina, through a landscape character, may also improve business [13]. The previously mentioned facts highlight the importance of landscape in the management of the marinas.
As the quantity of research in the field of marina management is growing, it is advantageous to consider the landscape. Although it is possible to find some documents regarding the landscape in the marinas [14][12], little research effort seems to have been focused on how to approach landscape within management.
Activity | Category | Subject | References |
---|---|---|---|
Services | Berths | Berthing capacity | Social |
Port uses | Boat handling | Physical | |
Shipyard and boat storage | Physical | ||
Buildings (direct, indirect and ancillary services) | Physical/social | ||
Parking facilities | Physical | ||
Auxiliary elements | Physical | ||
Mobility | Access | Physical/social | |
Circulation | Physical/social | ||
Port services | Supplies (water, electricity, bunkering, etc.) | Physical | |
Financial feasibility | Social | ||
Environmental management | Environment | Waste management | Physical/social |
Environmental compatibility | Physical/social | ||
Pollution prevention | Physical/social | ||
Water quality | Physical/social | ||
Landscaping | Physical/social | ||
Surroundings | Visual compatibility | Social | |
Other public agencies’ relationship | Social | ||
Uses for adjoining land | Social | ||
Security | Fire protection and prevention | Social | |
Safety and security | Social | ||
Maintenance | Physical/social |
We have carried out a review of management issues related to marinas. We have identified a concern on environmental aspects, specifically on issues related to marine pollution and water quality. Nevertheless, an assessment from the viewpoint of landscape revealed a lack of consistency in the applied frameworks. This review showed that landscape is often excluded from management. Therefore, it seems to be reasonable to establish a relationship between landscape and management.
The ELC has called for the assessing of landscapes, in identifying their characteristics and in defining quality objective. In this way, based on visibility and social perception, it was possible to establish a set or relevant elements within marinas, both from the perspective of management and landscape. This provided a starting point to introduce landscape in marina management. However, the related elements may vary depending on each marina, since each one has its own particularities, whether social, cultural, economic, or geographical. Research effectiveness will be best enhanced through a rating of the elements that constitute the landscape in each marina and how they are managed.
Faced with the particular idiosyncrasies of the marinas, landscapes play an essential role in defining the people’s welfare, the environmental quality, and the scenic views, as well as being an important economic resource. Therefore, it is possible to remark the importance of landscape in the management of the marinas and its consideration as a potential competitive advantage.