The Relevance of the “Usual Environment” Concept in Nautical Tourism Monitoring

Abstract

The notion of the usual environment is a key factor in distinguishing tourism activities from a demand-side perspective, yet applying it in practice presents persistent difficulties when estimating tourism’s physical and monetary scale. These challenges are particularly pronounced in nautical tourism, and especially in the case of domestic same-day boat trips. Focusing on Croatia, a country where yachting makes up a substantial share of overall tourism flows, this study examines criteria for classifying domestic nautical same-day trips from the demand perspective. Qualitative research on the population of residents who are recreational boat owners was conducted. The aim of the research was to assess residents’ perception of the usual environment when on a same-day boat trip from the criteria of trip frequency, distance, motives, and activities. Seventeen in-depth interviews were conducted, providing insight into subjective and objective determinants of trip classification. Although the analysis revealed a blurred understanding of the distinction between boating as a lifestyle and as a tourism activity, the results indicate that official statistics likely underestimate the number of recreational same-day boat trips. This finding underscores the need for more precise measurement of total physical flows in nautical tourism as a prerequisite for effective sustainability assessment and informed management policies.

1. Introduction

Using boats for recreational purposes is becoming more and more popular around the world and is especially important in Europe. Twenty-three of the twenty-seven EU member states have a coastal border with 68,000 km of coastline [1]. Over 6 million boats are kept in European waters, while some 36 million Europeans participate regularly in boating activities [2], generating important economic activity in which tourism plays an important role. Nautical tourism is popular across the EU [3], and the Mediterranean Sea is recognized as one of the world’s most important nautical tourism hubs [4].

Tourism drives a significant part of the economy in many countries. In the European Union, the gross value added that is directly generated by tourism accounts for between 2% and 11% of the total gross value. In the tourism-developed Mediterranean EU countries with a well-established nautical tourism sector, the gross value added that is directly generated by tourism generates 4.0% of the total gross value added in France, 6.2% in Italy, 6.9% in Spain, and 11.3% in Croatia [5]. While the Tourism Satellite Account has become an almost indispensable component of tourism statistics, the systematic measurement of nautical tourism as part of a country’s tourism flow remains relatively rare. These measurements can typically follow a bottom-up or top-down approach. An example of a bottom-up approach, in the absence of a Tourism Satellite Account, is the Yachting Tourism Satellite Account developed in Greece [6], which shows that although yachting’s overall contribution to the Greek economy is relatively small, it is of considerable importance to island economies and specific coastal destinations. Another example of a bottom-up estimate is the Ocean Satellite Account for Portugal [7], which revealed that marine-related economic activities generated an average of 3.9% of the country’s gross value added over a three-year period. A top-down approach is exemplified by Croatia’s Tourism Satellite Account for 2022, which estimated that nautical tourism ports and charter activities generated 5.2% of the total gross value added in tourism [8].

However, the definition of nautical tourism is not yet firmly established [9,10,11] and, consequently, in addition to issues related to the inconsistent use of different terms [12], there is a lack of clear criteria to distinguish between tourism and non-tourism activities within recreational boating. It results in incomplete coverage and incomparability of data related to recreational boating since it has been defined differently in individual countries’ institutional and statistical frameworks [13]. This can be illustrated by a noticeable discrepancy between studies that define nautical tourism based on overnight stays on board exclusively [14,15], and those that also include same-day activities at sea [16,17]. This inconsistency resulted in efforts to harmonize definitions in line with tourism statistics.

The evolution in the conceptualization of same-day yachting within the broader framework of nautical tourism is demonstrated by different approaches to defining nautical tourism in two papers, one by Benevolo [14] and another by Spinelli and Benevolo [10]. In the 2011 paper by Benevolo [14], she distinguishes sharply between recreational boating and nautical tourism. She defines nautical tourism as a specific subset of marine tourism that includes travel and overnight stays on a pleasure craft. According to this view, recreational boating, which may involve day trips or localized leisure activities without overnight accommodation, is not considered tourism. In the 2022 paper co-authored with Spinelli [10], Benevolo acknowledges that although same-day yachting does not fulfill the requirement of an overnight stay, it shares many core features with nautical tourism, in which the primary motivation for going on a trip is to enjoy sailing and related experiences on water and land for recreation, sports, entertainment, or other needs [18,19].

However, in addition to taking into consideration the motives and activities involved in nautical tourism, as well as the aspect of the length of a trip, a more precise definition of nautical tourism also requires the introduction of the concept of the usual environment as a key demand-side determinant of tourism activity. The unique spatial and geographical characteristics of the marine environment make the concept of the usual environment particularly complex in the context of nautical tourism [15], especially evident in the domestic same-day visitor segment. At the same time, assessing the economic effects of domestic visitors in this type of tourism should “scrupulously avoid including any effects of expenditures or other consumption activities of local residents remaining in their usual environment” [20] (p. 140).

The purpose of the research is, therefore, to assess the need for a more thorough and precise approach to the implementation of the usual environment criterion for measuring the size of nautical tourism demand.

The research question of this paper is whether the current tourism statistics system underestimates the volume of yachting tourism associated with domestic same-day tourist activity. This raises questions about the adequacy of the existing system for measuring and monitoring the sustainability of nautical/yachting tourism. It also contributes to more accurate sustainability assessment at the local, regional, and national levels and supports the development of more effective policy measures targeting issues such as seawater pollution and sustainable use of the seas and marine resources [21]. The accurate assessment of the number of visitors is particularly important, as carrying capacity can be considered a foundation for the effective management of yachting tourism development [4].

Using the example of Croatia as a country where nautical tourism accounts for a significant part of total tourism activity [22], this paper looks at the criteria for assessing domestic nautical tourism demand based on both secondary data analysis and primary research.

Following the introduction, this paper starts with a literature review related to the concept of the usual environment, with an insight into the specifics of the assessment of the usual environment in nautical tourism. Section 3 presents the volume and characteristics of nautical tourism in Croatia and identifies issues in measuring the size of nautical tourism due to the vague and blurry understanding of the concept of the usual environment. The Section 4 presents the methods of the primary research conducted on the population of residents who are recreational boat owners. The results of the research are presented in the Section 5. The Section 6 provides a discussion, conclusions, and recommendations for a more accurate and precise assessment of the size of nautical tourism.

2. The Literature Review

The usual environment is a key demand-side concept in measuring tourism flows, and it is particularly relevant when classifying same-day visitors. Its definition has developed over time, from an initial focus on straightforward distance measures to a broader understanding that also reflects cultural, personal, and experiential factors. Applying criteria such as crossing administrative boundaries, traveling a certain distance from one’s residence, trip duration, visit frequency, and travel purpose [23] (p. 19/192) presents notable difficulties when estimating tourism’s physical and monetary scope, challenges that are further amplified by efforts to standardize data internationally.

2.1. Tourism Statistics: Assessment of the Usual Environment

The International Recommendation for Tourism Statistics from 2008 [IRTS 2008] states that “The usual environment of an individual, a key concept in tourism, is defined as the geographical area (though not necessarily a contiguous one) within which an individual conducts his/her regular life routines.” [24] (p. 12). IRTS 2008 also stresses that each country should precisely define the regularity and frequency of tourism trips in the context of its tourism statistics. Due to the differences among countries, Eurostat [25] concluded that it is nearly impossible to draw up a strict framework, so it is desirable to consider the respondents’ subjective feelings when determining the usual environment. However, to collect tourism statistics from a demand-side perspective, Eurostat recommends applying operational criteria, as seen in the so-called cascade system. Same-day visitors and tourists are delimited through evaluation of the following criteria, which should all be fulfilled at the same time for determining the tourism activity:

• Purpose of the visit: The trip is not part of the regular life routines of the traveler;
• Crossing of administrative borders: Visits outside the municipality, just as a general rule;
• Duration of the visit: At least 3 h for same-day visitors or overnight for tourists;
• Frequency of the visit: Fewer than one trip per week over a longer period.

The criterion “distance from the place of usual residence” is included implicitly through the criteria of the crossing of administrative borders and the duration of the visit. Allowing for the possibility that tourist activity can also be carried out in the usual environment and to link demand and supply-side information on domestic tourism, Eurostat [25] recommends that all overnight stays in tourist accommodation establishments be treated as tourist overnight stays, i.e., overnight stays outside the usual environment. Similarly, trips to vacation homes are usually considered tourism trips.

Since comparable and coherent statistical information on tourism is a prerequisite for quantifying the size and impact of tourism, individual countries should follow internationally recognized standards [26,27]. However, the common interpretation of the usual environment has not been established across the EU [28,29]. In order to apply the recommended cascade system, national statistical offices in EU countries have established different “hard/objective” systems in determining the usual environment. Some countries use the distance threshold as an alternative criterion for administrative borders, while others do not apply the criteria of frequency of visits and minimum length of trip in order to minimize the influence of “subjectivity, confusion and unsystematic variation” [30] (p. 19) in data collection.

2.2. Usual Environment from the Distance Threshold Perspective

This different approach to the assessment of the usual environment not only questions the comparisons of tourism activity among countries but also the adequacy of measuring the size of tourism consumption and its implications on the production of tourism activities and the generation of tourism’s added value at the level of individual countries. Moreover, it also questions the accuracy of tourism sustainability indicator calculation. The need for harmonized operationalization [31] and embedded subjectivity prompted numerous scholars to contribute to a better understanding of the concept of the usual environment.

Govers et al. [32] explore the complexities of delineating a traveler’s usual environment and suggest that rigid, distance-based cut-offs may not adequately capture the diversity of tourist experiences. They argue for a definition that blends objective, externally determined measures with subjective, individual perspectives, recognizing that in densely built or urbanized settings, the boundaries of what feels “usual” can be highly variable. Their work underlines that both physical distance and personal perception matter when deciding whether an activity counts as tourism. Yu et al. [33] further emphasize that self-identification plays a significant role: people’s sense of being a tourist can depend on factors such as journey length, trip purpose, gender, socioeconomic background, and novelty of the visit. Their results point to a distance threshold of around 75 miles, beyond which travelers are more inclined to classify themselves as tourists.

Diaz-Soria [34] takes a different angle by examining how residents may adopt a tourist mindset in familiar surroundings. She suggests that actively seeking out new perspectives and experiences in one’s immediate area can blur the line between resident and tourist identities. In a similar vein, Suriñach and co-authors [35] propose a methodological framework for identifying and measuring short excursions in urban contexts, highlighting the need for robust tools to capture the economic and social impact of such day trips.

Post-tourism introduces an additional aspect to the understanding of tourist activity. It focuses on the search for authentic tourism experiences [36], which are marked by personal participation and spiritual interaction with the environment [37]. Such experience can be achieved in the usual environment as well, if it provides a departure from daily life [38].

2.3. Assessment of the Usual Environment in Nautical Tourism

In nautical tourism, the notion of the usual environment presents particular challenges [15]. Whereas land-based tourism often benefits from clearly defined geographical limits, the maritime setting is characterized by more fluid boundaries, making it harder to determine, especially from a personal or subjective standpoint, what falls within or outside a traveler’s usual environment. This aspect has received very little direct attention in the academic literature, although it is of significant importance for measuring physical flows of nautical tourism and, consequently, the assessment of carrying capacity and the limits of the sustainable growth of nautical tourism [39]. This is particularly important when it comes to the impact of anchoring on the seabed, the spread of invasive species, the influence of heavy metals, and other environmental pressures [40,41], as well as management strategies for maintaining carrying capacity in recreational boating [42].

Diakomihalis [43] incorporates the trip distance perspective into his discussion of the characteristics of nautical tourism. However, he does not contextualize it within the usual environment concept. Comprehensive bibliometric analyses [13,44] of the evolution of nautical tourism research do not directly address the concept of the “usual environment”, nor explicitly define “nautical tourism”. Furthermore, a recent literature review on yachting [45] points to the growing interest in topics related to nautical tourism, such as innovation, consumer experience, sustainability, and yacht-related events. However, the analysis did not single out the issue of the availability and quality of data in nautical tourism. Moreover, the analysis does not address the issue of understanding the term “usual environment” as the basis for distinguishing recreational from tourism activities in a nautical environment.

In summary, while the concept of the usual environment is central to distinguishing tourism from recreational activities, it remains underexplored in the context of nautical tourism. Despite its relevance, the usual environment is rarely addressed in empirical studies of nautical tourism, and it is largely absent from recent thematic reviews. This gap is particularly striking given the growing attention to topics such as innovation, consumer experience, and sustainability. The literature overlooks questions about the availability and quality of data and the criteria for classifying activities as tourism—such as fluidity of spatial boundaries at sea—which poses significant conceptual and methodological challenges.

The following section focuses on nautical tourism in Croatia, where statistical indicators suggest that same-day recreational boating is significantly underestimated. To better understand this issue, it is essential to address the assessment of the usual environment within the nautical tourism context.

3. Nautical Tourism in Croatia

The sea is a part of Europe’s identity, and sailing is an important motive for travel to Mediterranean countries. Italy is the most important country in the recreational boating sector in the Mediterranean and the second most important worldwide. It has more than 500 marinas and harbors with around 160,000 berths and 85,000 registered pleasure crafts [46]. Spain has around 300 marinas with 130,000 berths, 78% located in the Mediterranean region [47]. France has around 106,000 berths in marinas in the Mediterranean Sea, almost half the country’s total berth capacity [48].

Croatia has 224 nautical tourism ports with around 19,000 berths, of which 85 are marinas [49]. Additionally, there are more than 46,000 berths available exclusively for the local population, so-called communal berths, and 22,000 berths allocated for nautical tourists in numerous public ports along the Adriatic coast. There were more than 122,000 boats registered in 2018 in Croatia, of which 106,000 were registered for personal use [50,51,52].

The official tourism statistics from the demand side show that inhabitants of coastal regions of Croatia almost do not undertake same-day trips on recreational boats [53]. Data are collected by the survey regularly carried out by the Croatian Bureau of Statistics since 2014 under Regulation (EU) No. 692/2011 [23]. The 2022 survey was conducted on a representative sample of 22,000 Croatian citizens aged 15 and over, covering, among others, the characteristics of same-day trips.

A total of 4.0 million domestic, private, and business same-day trips were undertaken in 2022 by 3.9 million Croatian residents [54]. Of these, 1.3 million inhabitants of Adriatic Croatia accounted for 1.25 million private and business same-day trips (

Table 1. Number of private same-day trips by residents of Adriatic Croatia ¹ in 2022.

County (NUTS 3)	Number of Private Same-Day Trips
	Total		By Boat 2
	N	%	N	%
Istria	161,121	12.9	498	2.2
Primorje-Gorje	407,626	32.5	-	-
Lika-Senj	95,766	7.6	-	-
Zadar	143,134	11.4	7075	31.4
Šibenik-Knin	105,320	8.4	-	-
Split-Dalmatia	287,280	22.9	14,718	65.3
Dubrovnik-Neretva	53,288	4.3	240	1.1
Total—Adriatic Croatia	1,253,535	100.0	22,531	100.0

¹ NUTS 2 region, comprising seven Croatian coastal counties (NUTS 3 regions). ² Including both passenger and recreational boats. Source: Croatian Bureau of Statistics [53]; data available on request.

). However, only 22.5 thousand of 1.25 million same-day trips—representing just 1.8 percent—were carried out by boat as the main mode of transport. Notably, no same-day boat trips were recorded for residents of the Primorje-Gorski Kotar, Lika-Senj, or Šibenik-Knin counties. Same-day trips by boat were registered in only three of the seven Adriatic counties: Split-Dalmatia, Zadar, and Istria. Within this group, Split-Dalmatia County alone accounted for two-thirds of all same-day boat trips in the Adriatic Croatia, with nearly all (98 percent) of those trips taking place within the county itself.

These data indicate that recreational boating, especially in the form of same-day outings, is likely underrepresented in official tourism statistics. Two main factors contribute to this: first, the relatively small survey sample combined with the low occurrence of same-day boat trips; and second, how residents perceive their usual environment when undertaking such trips, particularly with privately owned vessels. It is also important to note that recorded same-day travel by boat in the official statistics encompasses not only nautical or yachting activities but also journeys made via coastal and sea passenger transport, such as catamarans or ferries used exclusively by passengers. The high share of these services in Split-Dalmatia County helps explain its large proportion of reported same-day boat trips, as the area contains numerous inhabited islands with frequent public maritime connections.

Further, the lack of a record of same-day boat trips in four out of seven coastal counties, including Primorje-Gorje, which has the highest number of registered boats, implies that there is a methodological issue in detecting and measuring this segment of tourist activity, partly due to the perception of the usual environment by residents using recreational boats. Since the survey Tourist Activity of the Population of the Republic of Croatia is one of the key sources for assessing the size of domestic tourism [55], this affects the assessment of not only the size of nautical tourism but also the overall tourist expenditure and the contribution of tourism to the economy. Therefore, qualitative exploratory research has been conducted to improve the understanding of the perception of the usual environment among recreational boat owners.

4. Methods

This paper takes the position that nautical tourism should be within the scope of tourism statistics, particularly in countries where it is one of the relevant tourism products, despite Eurostat’s [25] recommendation to exclude marinas from the scope of tourism statistics. It is, therefore, necessary to address the challenges related to the extreme complexity of data collection and the measurement of tourist activity generated by recreational boating.

A fundamental step in establishing a methodological framework for measuring the size of nautical tourism is the application of the usual environment concept to distinguish tourism from recreational boating. As the literature review has shown, this process raises several important issues: (i) the relevance of administrative boundaries at sea, (ii) the perceived distance in relation to the type and speed of the vessel, (iii) the frequency of sailing as a regular seasonal activity, and (iv) the treatment of the vessel as a form of accommodation and its potential equivalence to a second home.

Primary research was conducted to assess the perception of the concept of the usual environment among boat owners with respect to taking a same-day boat trip. Additionally, the goal was to analyze the factors that impact this perception. The target population was residents of coastal cities and municipalities. As the research was focused on same-day trips, the issue of using a boat as accommodation was not addressed.

The research employed a qualitative approach, utilizing in-depth interviews to gather detailed insights from boat owners in two Croatian coastal cities—the City of Split and the City of Zadar (Figure 1). The cities of Split and Zadar were selected for this research based on specific criteria that identified them as relevant sites for examining daily boating practices:

• Number of registered boats for personal use: Zadar and Split are among the top three cities for the number of registered personal boats in Croatia [52]. This provided a robust sample of boat owners for the research, ensuring that the study captured a wide range of experiences and perspectives from a substantial boating community;
• Propensity to go on same-day boat trips: Split-Dalmatia and Zadar counties recorded almost all of the same-day boat trips (Table 1); Split (178,000 inhabitants) and Zadar (75,000 inhabitants) are the largest cities in the area;
• Indented coastline and numerous islands within the vicinity: Split and Zadar are situated on an attractive coastline that offers good conditions for recreational same-day boat trips.

Participants were selected using a purposive sampling strategy [56], focusing on owners who use their vessels exclusively for personal, non-commercial purposes. Recruitment was implemented using a combination of convenience sampling and the snowball sampling approach. Initially, boat owners were identified and contacted through local boating clubs, marinas, and personal networks in Split and Zadar, taking advantage of readily accessible contacts to quickly gather a preliminary group of respondents. Subsequently, the snowball sampling technique was employed, where initial respondents were asked to provide references to other boat owners interested in participating in the research.

A semi-structured guide was used as a research instrument to ensure that key topics were consistently covered while allowing for flexibility to explore individual experiences and perspectives. The semi-structured guide included three main topics:

• Basic sociodemographics, type of boat, and location of berth;
• Boat usage patterns, destinations, and routes; frequency and season of use; travel party; trip duration; travel distance: motives and activities; destination and route preferences;
• Perception of boating as a lifestyle versus tourism trips, i.e., attitudes towards the usual environment since, besides the operational criteria for collecting tourism statistics, it is also important to consider the subjective feelings of the respondent when determining the usual environment [25].

The interviews were conducted by the authors through an online meeting platform or mobile phones. The interviews were announced in advance and oral informed consent was obtained at the beginning of the interview. Prior to obtaining the consent, the participants were informed on the purpose of the research, data collection process, and analysis, as well as on the anonymity and confidentiality of their participation. During the recruitment stage, through a direct screening question, participants were explicitly asked whether they used their vessel for transportation, recreation, or commercial purposes. Only those who confirmed exclusive personal use (recreational or leisure purposes) were included in the sample. The interviews lasted 30 to 45 min. Some of the interviews were, following the participant’s consent, recorded and transcribed, while for the others, notes were taken during the interview.

The analysis followed a two-tier procedure that explored how meaning was constructed around boating experiences in relation to the respondents’ usual environment. Content analysis was initially applied to analyze the interview data and to identify recurring themes and patterns that served to build the thematic structure of the results [57]. Critical discourse analysis was then applied to explore how respondents articulated their boating experiences, specifically in framing them as part of daily life or as a form of tourism activity [58]. The trustworthiness and rigor of our research results were ensured through the application of the four established criteria of qualitative research: credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability [59,60]. Credibility was supported through verbatim transcription of all interviews, systematic application of content and critical discourse analysis, and careful cross-checking of quotations with respondent profiles to ensure accurate attribution. Furthermore, the use of verbatim quotations in the results section provides transparency and allows for a direct link between the data and the interpretations. Transferability was enhanced by providing a detailed description of the research context, including the characteristics of nautical tourism in Split and Zadar, enabling readers to assess the applicability of findings to other coastal settings. Dependability was addressed by clearly documenting the sampling strategy, interview procedures, and thematic coding framework, ensuring that the analytical process could be replicated. To ensure confirmability and minimize researcher bias, all interviews were transcribed verbatim and systematically coded by two researchers working independently. Coding frameworks were compared, and any discrepancies were resolved through discussion until consensus was reached.

A total of 17 boat owners participated in the study (ten respondents from Split and seven from Zadar). The decision to stop at 17 responses was driven by data saturation, as the information had become repetitive, and consistent patterns across participants were observed [61,62]. Thus, 17 responses were sufficient to achieve a comprehensive understanding of the research topic. Owners of both sailboats (nine respondents) and motorboats (eight respondents) were included. Regarding the age groups, three were between 30 and 39 years of age, six from 40 to 49, five from 50 to 59, and three were older than 60 years of age.

5. Results and Discussion

The research results are presented according to the following topics relevant for interpreting subjective and objective criteria of usual environment assessment on same-day boat trips: (i) frequency and season of use, (ii) travel party and trip duration, (iii) travel distance and destination preferences, (iv) motives and activities, and (v) perception of boating as a lifestyle and tourism trip. The in-depth interviews provide a valuable insight into the boating practices and perceptions among recreational boat owners in the two large Croatian coastal cities, Split and Zadar.

5.1. Frequency and Season of Use

The respondents primarily use their boats during the summer months, engaging in frequent same-day and weekend trips from May to October, along with some extended trips during vacation periods. In winter, the most common activity is fishing with friends and participating in regattas.

The frequency and season of use largely depend on the type of vessel and motives for sailing. Those in sailing boats, in contrast to those in motorboats, use their vessels throughout the year, with the most passionate “accumulating up to 60 days at sea”, as mentioned by respondent no. 2, engaged also in regattas (Split, sailing boat). However, one motorboat owner (respondent no. 7 from Split) also spends between 50 and 60 days per year at sea. As he noted, “Whenever I have a free time, I go to the sea for sport fishing”.

The frequency of use varies, with most owners taking advantage of weekend trips, while daily trips are less frequent. The interviews confirmed that the trips made by the respondents met the frequency-of-visit criteria for classifying the same-day boat trips as tourism activity [25]. Trips occurred less than once per week over an extended period, reflecting the seasonality of boating, which is more pronounced during the summer months.

5.2. Travel Party and Trip Duration

Many respondents mentioned traveling with family and friends, who make up the most common travel party on a boat trip, especially in the summer.

Although the questions directed respondents to discuss one-day trips, they often pointed out that multi-day trips are the most common type of voyage. Consequently, weekend trips (two to three days) are prevalent, with some preferring one-day outings, particularly for swimming/bathing or fishing. Longer trips are less common but occur occasionally.

Owners of sailing boats tend to use their boats for multi-day trips mostly due to the speed of sailing boats. Respondent no. 2 (Split, sailing boat) emphasized that for owners of sailing boats, “it makes no sense to go out just for one day”. As he further elaborated, it takes several hours to reach more attractive destinations, as “the nicer places are further away.” However, some sailboat owners also enjoy same-day trips for quick sailing practice or a leisure trip. Respondents nos. 4, 5, and 9 (all from Split) stated that they do go on same-day outings, most often during the summer, primarily for swimming or fishing. On the other hand, owners of motorboats prefer shorter, more frequent trips, often for fishing and day voyages. For instance, respondent no. 17 (Zadar, motorboat) explained, “during the season, I mostly take same-day trips due to work obligations”. However, technical complexity and operational demands can limit the frequency or spontaneity of same-day boating, even within the motorboat segment. Respondent no. 8 (Split, motorboat) explained that his boat requires significant preparation and handling, stating that “a boat is not for just going out for one day—a vessel needs preparation before setting out; it’s not suitable for simple day trips”.

Younger boat owners are more likely to engage in shorter, more frequent trips, often due to time constraints related to work and family, as mentioned by respondents no. 9 (Split, sailing boat) and no. 14 (Zadar, motorboat). In contrast, older owners, especially retirees, often use their boats more extensively, taking longer trips and more frequent outings.

Since all respondents spent more than three hours at sea, their sailing activities satisfy the trip-duration criterion for determining the usual environment [25].

5.3. Travel Distance and Destination Preferences

Trips typically stay within a short to moderate range due to the nature of day trips or short weekend getaways. Long-distance voyages are usually reserved for more extended vacations.

Common destinations for same-day trips or short weekend getaways include destinations on nearby islands for boat owners in both Split and Zadar. In all cases, journeys entailed crossing administrative boundaries.

Some boaters emphasized the need to travel beyond the immediate coastal area to find less crowded locations. Respondent no. 13 (Zadar, motorboat) noted that “you need to go 20 to 30 min away from Zadar, even there it’s crowded with boats”. Their typical outings are Saturday and/or Sunday day trips from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., often framed as family excursions or informal gatherings. These trips involve anchoring offshore and spending the day on the boat, illustrating a common same-day boating pattern that combines socializing and leisure in natural settings. Respondent no. 17 (Zadar, motorboat) reported similar distances for same-day outings, typically heading to a spot “around 2.5 nautical miles from Zadar”, further confirming that same-day boaters often stay within a relatively short range but still seek some degree of seclusion. However, the perception of the respondents is that increased volume and vessel size are reducing the availability of quiet, natural anchorages and altering the traditional boating experience. Respondents no. 2 and 3 (sailing boat owners, both from Split) noted that “today there are too many boats; nautical tourism is oversized”.

The environmental concerns were not explicitly addressed in the interview guide, but several respondents spontaneously expressed awareness of ecological pressures, particularly related to the growth of charter fleets, the overcrowding of coastal areas, and marine pollution.

Although the term “administrative borders” at sea, as an operational criterion for determining the usual environment [25], remains somewhat ambiguous, the findings indicate that respondents crossed such borders on most trips, as they typically visited locations in other administrative units.

5.4. Motives and Activities

The primary motives for using boats are recreation, sport, and socializing to “relax and unwind”.

Activities include swimming, fishing, participating in sailing regattas and events, and general leisure. Getting off the boat at destinations is rare, and when it does happen, it is usually related to visits to shops, bars, and restaurants.

A number of respondents emphasized a preference for free anchorages over marinas or organized ports, often to avoid fees and crowded environments. For example, respondent no. 5 (Split, sailing boat) stated that they “don’t go off the boat, avoid entering ports (where fees apply), don’t moor—we choose quiet bays and anchor there”. This reflects a nature-oriented approach to boating, where the vessel itself becomes both the means and the destination of leisure.

The choice of anchorage versus mooring in a port often depends on the duration of the trip and associated costs. When going out for a swim or a short leisure trip, respondents typically anchor in small bays where no fees are charged. However, for longer holiday trips, boaters may enter towns or ports—depending on mooring costs. Respondent no. 9 (Zadar, sailing boat) noted that mooring fees have become quite substantial, influencing their behavior, and explained, “If we don’t pay for mooring, we’ll go to a restaurant; but if we do pay, we eat on the boat instead”, illustrating a substitution effect under the budget constraint.

When it comes to the purpose of a visit criterion, the conclusion is not straightforward, as respondents’ opinions were divided. The findings highlight the importance of capturing the respondent’s subjective feelings in determining the usual environment in nautical tourism. For some respondents, recreational boating is not part of regular life routines but an escape from daily routines, while other respondents often emphasize that recreational boating is deeply integrated into their lifestyles.

5.5. Perception of Boating as a Lifestyle and Tourism Trip

A deep personal connection to the sea is evident among all respondents. Many owners view boating as an integral part of their lifestyle rather than a form of tourism. For them, it is a part of their daily life and routine, as well as a cultural practice. Boating is seen as a natural extension of living on the coast. Many respondents do not consider their boating activities as tourism but as an activity within their usual environment. Day trips and weekend outings are not seen as trips. As respondent no. 5 (Split, sailing boat) emphasized, “Is going on the boat tourism? No, it is an integral part of our life”. However, taking trips to the same destination using alternative main means of public sea transport (ferry, catamaran) is seen as a tourist trip.

Some respondents recognize elements of tourist activity in sailing, regardless of whether the trips are same-day or multi-day. Respondents nos. 12, 14, and 17—all motorboat owners from Zadar—and respondent no. 8 (Split, motorboat) consider same-day boat trips as tourism activity. However, contrasting opinions are common within this group. “Being at sea is a different experience than just watching the sea” respondent no. 1 (Split, motorboat) noted, further elaborating that “a boat is not a part of the usual environment”. Staying on a vessel is described by the same respondent as “a break from the everyday life”, while for respondent no. 4 (Split, sailing boat), it is “pure zen, another world, a great memory wipe”. However, somewhat in contradiction, he continued: “it is a normal way of life for me, I don’t feel like a tourist”.

For young boat owners, boating is “more of a recreational activity than a lifestyle”, while older ones tend to have a stronger connection to the sea as part of their cultural identity and daily routine. Owners of sailing boats often view sailing as a sport, stressing the skill and effort required for sailing. Motorboat owners view motorboating as a convenient and quick way to enjoy the sea.

Differences between sailboat and motorboat owners and between different age groups highlight the diverse ways boating is experienced in these coastal cities. Same-day voyages are practiced by all boat owners, with motorboat owners particularly favoring these short voyages for their convenience and ease.

The distinction between boating as a lifestyle and as a tourism activity is pronounced, with many owners integrating boating into their usual environment. This is in line with Jennings [63], who stresses the fuzziness of boundaries among sport, recreation, leisure, tourism activities, and lifestyle. Boating is deeply integrated into the lifestyles of the interviewees, providing freedom, tranquility, and a unique way to experience and appreciate the marine environment. Most respondents utilize their boats predominantly for leisure activities, including fishing, sailing, and swimming. They see boating primarily as a form of relaxation, an escape from daily routines rather than a purely recreational activity, even when they are participating in regattas.

However, it can be concluded that the subjective perception of the usual environment comes from using one’s own boat. From the perspective of many respondents, aside from authenticity, motivation, activity, and place [64], sailing on their own boat is a criterion for distinguishing between tourism and non-tourism activities. A journey made to the same destination, as by one’s own boat, by other means of transport for which a fare is charged is always considered an excursion or a tourist trip. Similarly, respondents distinguished between accommodation in a hotel, assessed as tourism, and accommodation on their own boat, viewed as a stay in a second home. A minority of respondents put sailing on their own boats into the category of trips and acknowledged their tourism character, not differentiating between types of transport when defining a tourist trip.

6. Conclusions

This study addressed the research question of whether the concept of the usual environment underestimates the volume of yachting tourism, particularly in relation to same-day domestic recreational boating. The research sought to determine whether the current operationalization of this concept in tourism statistics adequately captures the physical flows of yachting tourists. To explore this, the research employed a qualitative approach, conducting in-depth, semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of Croatian recreational boat owners. The interviews probed respondents’ interpretations of their usual environment in the context of their boating activities, their perceptions of travel distance and destination, and the factors influencing whether they viewed a trip as “tourism” or part of their regular environment.

The findings revealed a clear gap between the way nautical tourism activity is currently recorded in official statistics and the actual behavior of boaters. Although boat owners generally do not consider same-day recreational boat trips as tourism activity, the identified characteristics of these trips indicate that they fulfill the three operational criteria of the cascade system for recognizing the tourism nature of travel [25]:

• Crossing of administrative borders: Although the term “administrative borders” at sea is somewhat blurry, the findings confirm that respondents crossed administrative borders on most trips, as they usually visited the locations in other administrative units;
• Duration of the visit: All trips lasted more than three hours;
• Frequency of the visit: Fewer than one same-day boat trip is made per week over a longer period, especially in view of the seasonality of boating, an activity that is more pronounced during the summer months.

The results thus indicate that trips with one’s own vessel for leisure and recreation, whether same-day or multi-day, almost always represent an exit from the usual environment and are, therefore, a tourism activity, although respondents do not necessarily recognize this. This is especially relevant when considering the settings of post-tourist activity [38].

Although boat owners do not recognize recreational boat trips as a tourism activity, the application of the criteria defined by the cascade system [25] implies that those trips can be considered tourism activity. Therefore, the number of recreational boat trips, especially same-day trips, estimated from the survey on tourist activity of the population of the Republic of Croatia [53], is underestimated. Due to the same methodological framework of the survey on the trips of EU residents and participation in tourism [25], it is reasonable to assume that this type of tourism activity is also underestimated in other EU countries, especially those with many recreational boats owned by residents. The findings related to the research question—indicating that the overall demand for nautical tourism is underestimated—affect different pillars of the efficiency of the sustainable development management researched by numerous scholars, such as Carreno and Lloret [65], Cerchiello [66], Trstenjak et al. [67], and Ukić Boljat et al. [68]. The incomplete coverage of physical flows also underestimates domestic tourism expenditures and leads to an underestimation of tourism’s gross added value within the framework of the tourism satellite account. Therefore, understanding the economic contribution of nautical tourism requires a harmonized approach to the tourism statistics with an emphasis on data coverage in the collection, organization, and dissemination [69] of nautical tourism data. These findings are relevant not only to tourism statisticians and policymakers but also to marina operators, local destination managers, environmental authorities, and the boating industry. The identification of potential underrepresentation of same-day nautical tourism in official statistics has direct implications for sustainable tourism monitoring, destination-carrying-capacity management, and the economic assessment of nautical tourism. These insights can inform decision-making across the supply chain, from infrastructure planning to environmental protection measures.

While these issues may not significantly affect all countries, they highlight the need to re-evaluate the factors and methods used to define the concept of the usual environment in the context of nautical tourism. This re-evaluation is a crucial step toward harmonizing the methodological approach for assessing the overall contribution of nautical tourism within the tourism satellite account framework. Assuming that the overall economic contribution of nautical tourism should not be overlooked, the proposed re-evaluation of the concept of the usual environment, particularly within the European Union and by Eurostat, should prioritize two main areas.

First, it should involve a more refined elaboration of the usual environment concept when applying it specifically to nautical tourism. This primarily relates to (i) addressing the classification of a recreational boat as both a mode of transport and accommodation, (ii) the relationship between administrative and geographical boundaries, and (iii) the relationship between the shore and the sea parts of the (usual or unusual) environment from the perspective of different segments of nautical tourism demand. Second, it should aim to improve the methodological framework of the survey on participation in tourism. This would involve (i) distinguishing the use of vessels as passenger maritime transport from the use of privately owned recreational boats and (ii) providing additional instructions when the respondent is not sure whether or not their nautical trip is outside the usual environment.

As with the majority of qualitative studies, the findings of this research are context-specific and cannot be generalized to the entire population of recreational boat owners in Croatia or other coastal regions. While the in-depth interviews provide relevant insights into boating behaviors and attitudes, the sample is limited to two urban centers and was purposively selected. This may introduce selection bias and potentially overlook practices in other geographical or sociodemographic contexts. However, while the presented qualitative evidence is limited in scope, the mechanisms identified are portable.

Future research should incorporate additional data sources such as GPS tracking, heat mapping, marina records, or observational methods. These complementary methods could help validate and enrich the findings of this study. Moreover, future studies would benefit from expanding the geographical focus to other coastal countries, as well as conducting a complementary quantitative survey to estimate the actual volume of same-day recreational boating and assess the extent to which it may be underrepresented in official tourism statistics. Such an approach would support more robust generalization and strengthen evidence-based policymaking related to the sustainability of nautical tourism.