Encouraging newcomers to inland boating

The number of boats on our waterways has grown steadily for several decades, but we recognise that boating faces ever increasing competition from other leisure pursuits. Because boats are important to the appeal of our network, we invest a small amount each year in activities designed to encourage newcomers to cruise on our waterways. We work in partnership with the boat hire trade to promote boating holidays since this is the most popular trigger to eventual boat ownership. We are one of the founder members of Drifters, a not-for-profit marketing consortium of holiday boat operators that represents more than 50% of the canal based hire trade. Membership of Drifters is open to all hire boat companies whose boats meet tourist board accommodation grading scheme standards.