BIA's Discover Boating campaign inspires Australians to get on the water

by Boating Industry Association 23 Mar 23:02 PDT 24 March 2025

The Boating Industry Association Ltd (BIA) has wrapped up its highly successful 2024-25 Discover Boating campaign, which ran from 15 November to 15 February in NSW, QLD, SA, VIC and TAS.

Designed to encourage new, existing and lapsed boaters to embrace the boating lifestyle, the campaign delivered impressive reach and reinforced the accessibility of boating across all budgets.

BIA CEO Andrew Fielding said, "The Discover Boating campaign plays a crucial role in inspiring more people to get out on the water and experience the joy of boating. Our goal is to break down barriers and showcase boating as an inclusive, affordable activity that is accessible to all - regardless of age, gender, ability or budget.

"Whether it's paddling, powerboating, or sailing, we want more Australians to see themselves as part of the boating community and to enjoy the freedom, adventure, and connection that comes with being on the water," he said.

The campaign's 'Adventure Awaits. See You Out There' messaging reached millions of Australians through a mix of TV, digital advertising, social media, and email marketing.

Key campaign results include:

• 18 million impressions on TV across 2,302 placements - up 7 million from last year
• 7 million+ digital impressions - up 2 million from last year
• 4.4 million video views - an increase of 1.4 million
• 74,784 website visits from campaign engagement - a jump of 55,000+
• 1.5 million full video completions - up 464,000

TV personality Andrew "ET" Ettingshausen of the long-running show Escape Fishing with ET was the voice to the TV commercial and digital video assets, and brought his raw enthusiasm for all things boating.

ET said, "Being out on the water has many benefits, from fishing and relaxing to creating memories with friends and family. Boating offers something for everyone. I'd encourage all new boaters to educate themselves before hitting the water, from safety equipment to having the right marine batteries installed, there are plenty of resources available to learn more via the Discover Boating website."

With more than 85 per cent of the population living within 50km of the coast, it is little wonder that almost one in five households have a boat or watercraft.

Australia has more than 2.5 million people with a licence to drive a powerboat, with close to one million registered vessels and a countless number of non-motorised craft (such as small paddle and sail craft) which do not require registration or licensing.

Key statistics issued in 2024 by the BIA identified that;

• 1 in 10 Australians have a boat licence
• 970,000+ registered boats
• 10 per cent of registered vessels are personal watercraft, fastest growing segment
• 85 per cent of boats are under 6m
• 60 per cent of boating trips are up to 4hrs duration

BIA extends its gratitude to Century Batteries, GMSV, Marine Rescue NSW, and BIA Vic for their support in making this campaign a success.

For more information on Discover Boating, visit discoverboating.com.au.