Developmental Trajectory of the American Yacht Clubs

Abstract

The yacht industry is one of the leading industries used to guide residents’ increase in consumption. This study analyzes the evolving spatial pattern of yacht clubs in the United States from 1900-2017, aiming to explore the developmental trajectory of yacht clubs in the United States. This study finds that: 1) Yacht clubs in the United States clustered aggregately and unevenly. The concentration of yacht clubs ranges from the northeastern part of the United States to the western and southern regions. 2) The driving factors influencing the development of yacht clubs in the United States changed along with time. The state ship and boat building industry was the main driving factors in phase I (before 1900). The state steel industry was the main driver in phase II (1900-1950). In phase III (1950-2000), state tourism GDP became the main driver, and in phase IV (2000-2017), state GDP and state ocean tourism and recreation GDP became the main factors. This study enriches the literature in the area of yacht tourism in terms of understanding the temporal-spatial pattern of yacht clubs.