From Gaeta starts the new agenda for marinas: inclusion, sustainability and innovation at the heart of the blue economy.

Gaeta, April 30, 2026 – No longer just places for docking and services, but contemporary infrastructures capable of generating economic, social and environmental value. This was the vision that emerged during the Blue Marina Awards event hosted in Gaeta at the Base Nautica Flavio Gioia. The April 29 event marked the first stop of the 2026 Blue Marina Awards calendar, the recognition and enhancement program for tourist ports that is helping redefine the role of marinas within the blue economy.

This path fits into an increasingly clear trajectory, also effectively summarized by the Italian Minister of Tourism during the conclusion of the fourth edition of the Blue Marina Awards, defining them as “an accelerator of quality, sustainability and competitiveness for the entire tourist port system.”

With the event entitled “The Sea that Includes: Sport, Environment and Territory as Drivers for the Tourist Port Industry of the Future,” Gaeta brought together institutions, trade associations, operators, companies and key figures from the maritime world around an increasingly central question: what role can marinas play in a phase where sustainability, accessibility, innovation and integration with the local territory are becoming decisive competitiveness factors?

The discussion delivered a clear answer: the marina of the future can no longer be seen solely as an infrastructure dedicated to mooring, but rather as a platform capable of creating relationships between citizens and boating communities, as well as between public and private stakeholders. A strategic and operational framework aimed at improving the quality of the experience, developing maritime culture, strengthening ties with local communities and contributing concretely to the enhancement of marine resources.

“The Blue Marina Awards are a unique initiative because they do not simply reward excellence, but activate a process of continuous improvement. Their strength lies in a dynamic model, with criteria that evolve over time following market changes and helping the entire tourist port system grow,” stated Cosmo Mitrano, President of the VI Commission for Public Works, Infrastructure, Mobility and Transport.

From Gaeta emerged a broader and more mature vision of tourist port development. A vision in which inclusion and accessibility are no longer secondary elements, but real indicators of the quality of a marina. This approach was made tangible through the direct involvement of local associations working in the field of disability inclusion and the presence of parasailing athletes, bringing real-life experiences to the stage and demonstrating how the sea can become a space for freedom, accessibility and participation.

A vision where sustainability is not merely a declaration of intent, but a daily practice made of management, maintenance, processes, behaviours and operational choices. And where innovation — from digitalisation to sustainable mobility — only makes sense when it simplifies people’s lives, improves marina efficiency and strengthens the credibility of development projects.

The Gaeta event also carried strong symbolic value: opening the 2026 Blue Marina Awards calendar starting from a theme — the sea as a driver of inclusion, protection and development — that effectively summarizes the direction the sector is being called to follow.

“With the Blue Marina Awards, we want to help make a new concept of tourist ports increasingly evident: marinas not as simple infrastructures, but as places capable of generating quality, sustainability, innovation and value for the territory. From Gaeta comes a clear message: the entire system wins when all stakeholders choose to grow together,” stated Walter Vassallo, President of the Blue Marina Awards.

“We wanted to host this stage because we believe that today a marina must increasingly become a vibrant and open place, capable of offering experiences that go far beyond the technical aspects of boating, becoming a meeting point between different cultures and experiences. The marina as a place of hospitality and territorial promotion. Today in Gaeta it was demonstrated that the sea can also become a space for high-quality dialogue,” stated Luca Simeone.

“The message emerging today is very clear: tourist ports truly grow when they invest in quality, methodology and the ability to understand change. This is the direction the sector must continue to pursue,” stated Eugenio Michelino.

“The quality of a maritime destination is also measured by its ability to include, educate and bring people closer to nautical and sporting culture. This is the ground on which the future is built,” stated Giuseppe d'Amico.

Another key theme emerging from the discussion was the value of innovation: training, digital tools, advanced environmental management services and sustainable mobility solutions now represent decisive drivers in guiding marinas towards more efficient, attractive and market-aligned management models.

Making the discussion even more concrete was the contribution of innovative companies such as E-Way, Nuncas Italia and Sailor Finder, which brought to the debate practical perspectives and applicable solutions related to sustainable mobility, operational quality, digital services and the evolution of marina experiences.

“Today sustainability is measured through concrete results, not declarations: from real biodegradability in seawater to responsible supply chains, from the use of renewable energy to less energy-intensive production processes, every phase matters. The future belongs to solutions capable of combining performance with measurable environmental value throughout the entire lifecycle,” stated Nuncas Italia.

The Gaeta stage confirmed the ability of the Blue Marina Awards to create a qualified ecosystem of discussion around marinas, bringing together institutions, associations, companies, innovation and maritime culture on equal footing. More than the event itself, this convergence represented the most interesting outcome of the day: the awareness that the future of tourist ports depends on the ability to combine quality, measurability, openness and vision.

The Blue Marina Awards will now continue their 2026 journey with the next stops on the calendar, continuing to promote a model of tourist port development based on objective, measurable and transparent criteria, aligned with a modern, responsible and competitive vision of the sector.

What emerges from Gaeta is not simply the story of a successful event, but a real working agenda: marinas that are more open, more measurable, more connected to their territories and more central to the development of the blue economy.