Flotespace acquires Boata, expands Australian footprint as the 'Airbnb for Boat Experiences'
by Hugh Treseder 3 Oct 2019 12:52 AEST
Nathan Sanderson - Boata (far left), Hugh Treseder - Flotespace (middle), Mike Mckiernan - Boata (far right) © Hugh Treseder
Flotespace, the Australian boating start-up providing an online marketplace and concierge service for boat and yacht rentals, has announced its acquisition of Boata, a Sydney charter boat booking company, for an undisclosed sum.
The acquisition will see the Boata team and charter fleet join Flotespace, resulting in a centralised, comprehensive service offering spanning both commercial and peer-to-peer boat
bookings for any type of celebration, event or escape.
"Most people assume they need a lot of money or boating skills to enjoy a day out on the water with their friends, family or colleagues," says Hugh Treseder, Flotespace Founder and CEO. "Flotespace is beginning to change this perception, by providing easy access to the boating lifestyle without all the costs and commitment of the traditional boat ownership model."
Treseder has spent most of his working life around boats and the water. Having seen how many boats sit unused in marinas all over the world, and knowing how many people would love to experience a day or night on board, he originally founded Flotespace to give boat owners a way to turn their amazing, underutilised boats into unique accommodation options.
Due to current regulations in Australia preventing privately owned vessels from being offered as accommodation, Flotespace recently expanded internationally into the UK, and is now fully equipped to cater for the Australian boating market thanks to the acquisition of Boata.
Treseder says there are further plans to scale locally and internationally, which is driven by the company vision for 1 million people to get on board a Flotespace boat.
"We're taking boating from being an exclusive lifestyle reserved for those who are well-off or experienced, to being an openly accessible activity for anyone with a smartphone and a sense of adventure."
Treseder advised there is more news on the way with a number of key strategic partnerships near completion, all designed to drive safer and more easily accessible boating for the masses.
To learn more or book a boat experience, visit flotespace.com today.