
Dockshare: A New Solution for Waterfront Tourism and Economic Development
Keyword: Solution for Waterfront Tourism
For waterfront towns across the U.S., tourism is a lifeline. Restaurants, shops, hotels, and attractions all benefit from a steady flow of visitors, but one group of potential visitors is often overlooked: boaters. And not because they don’t want to visit, but because in many towns, they can’t.
When a destination lacks public dockage or has a marina that’s full or nonexistent, boaters are forced to skip that town altogether. That means lost revenue, missed overnight stays, and fewer customers walking through local businesses’ doors. But there’s a simple, modern solution that can change that narrative: Dockshare.
The Problem: Boaters Can’t Stop Where They’re Not Welcome
Picture this: A boater is cruising the coast or exploring a nearby bay and spots an interesting town on the map. Maybe it has great dining, charming boutiques, a historic downtown, or a summer festival happening.
But when they arrive, they discover:
- No public docks
- No transient slips
- No easy place to tie up, even for an hour
So they keep moving. They don’t grab lunch, don’t visit the local museum, don’t book a room for the night. It’s not that they didn’t want to, it’s that the town wasn’t accessible to them.
This is where Dockshare changes everything.
The Dockshare Solution: Turn Private Docks into Economic Opportunity
Dockshare connects private dock owners with boaters looking for short-term or long-term docking. It’s like Airbnb, but for docks. And in towns without docking options, it can be a game-changer.
By encouraging residents to list their private docks on Dockshare, waterfront communities can:
- Unlock underused shoreline assets
- Welcome boaters without building costly new infrastructure
- Bring fresh traffic and spending power, to local businesses
A single listed dock can mean dozens of new visitors per month during peak season. Multiply that by a few listings, and suddenly your town is on the map for boaters.
What This Means for Local Economies
Boaters don’t just float in and float out, they spend.
🍽️ Meals at local restaurants
🛍️ Shopping in town
🏨 Overnight stays
🎟️ Tickets to tours, events, and attractions
Many boaters plan their trips based on where they can stop for the day or overnight. If your town isn’t accessible, it’s not even a consideration.
But with Dockshare, even one or two dock listings can turn your town into a destination instead of a pass-through.
Read More:
How to Earn Extra Income by Listing Your Dock in Destin
Avoid the High Cost of New Construction
Building new marina infrastructure is expensive, slow, and often met with environmental permitting challenges. Even adding a small public dock can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.
By comparison, Dockshare leverages existing infrastructure—the private docks that already line your waterfront.
- No need for taxpayer-funded construction
- No major permitting headaches
- No waiting years for a grant or bond
Just real, immediate water access made available to the public through a vetted, managed peer-to-peer platform.
Additional Tourism & Development Benefits
Here are a few more ways Dockshare can support waterfront communities:
- Event-Based Access: During festivals, parades, or fireworks, boaters can book short-term access to get in on the action (and support vendors).
- Eco-Tourism Expansion: Kayakers and paddlers use Dockshare to find new launch points, bringing more activity to natural areas while minimizing environmental impact.
- Local Partnerships: Businesses can encourage nearby dock owners to list on Dockshare, creating a feedback loop of foot traffic and commerce.
- Shoulder Season Activity: Towns can use Dockshare listings to attract boaters during spring and fall, extending the tourism season beyond the peak season.
- Data-Driven Planning: Over time, usage data from Dockshare can help towns understand demand and plan more targeted, cost-effective waterfront improvements.
Real Economic Impact, Minimal Investment
For local governments, tourism boards, chambers of commerce, and economic development professionals, Dockshare offers a rare opportunity: Drive tourism, support local businesses, and increase waterfront access, all without breaking ground.
All it takes is community awareness and a few willing property owners to get started.
Let’s put your town on the map for boaters, and open up a whole new revenue stream in the process.