By Cèlia Gisbert, founder of Caretta Marketing Náutico · Published on 26 October 2026
Marketing an English-speaking nautical business in Spain means selling to two markets at once: international visitors who search in their own language and Spanish customers who search in Spanish. The businesses that do well have a bilingual website, a strong Google profile, ads split by language and country, and a plan that doesn’t rely only on booking platforms.
Why a nautical business in Spain plays a two-market game
Many yacht charters, sailing schools and boat rental companies on the Spanish coast are run by international owners and teams, and English is often the language of the business. That works well for international tourists, an important part of the customer base in places like the Balearic Islands, the Costa del Sol or the Canary Islands.
But there is a second market right on your doorstep: Spanish customers, both local and domestic tourists. They search in Spanish, read reviews in Spanish and expect to be able to book in Spanish. If your marketing only speaks English, you are invisible to them.
On top of that, you compete with booking platforms that are very visible on Google and charge a commission on every booking. The goal is not to leave the platforms, but to make sure more of your bookings come to you directly.
Six things to get right
1. A website that sells in English and in Spanish
Each language needs its own pages, not an automatic translation button. That way Google can show the English page to someone searching in English and the Spanish page to someone searching in Spanish. Add other languages only if your data shows real demand, for example German or French.
Above all, make booking easy from a phone: clear prices or a clear way to ask for them, available dates and a short path to confirm.
2. A Google Business Profile that works in both languages
For many customers, your Google profile is the first thing they see. Keep your photos, opening times and services up to date, reply to reviews in the language they were written in, and ask every customer for a review with the link or QR code Google gives you. We explain how to do it in our guide to bringing this summer’s customers back next season.
3. Ads split by language and country
Search ads reach people who are already looking for a boat trip in your area. Run separate campaigns for each language, send each ad to a page in the same language and check where your visitors are really coming from. Our guide to Google Ads for yacht charters covers the structure step by step.
4. Less dependence on booking platforms
Platforms bring visibility, especially when you are starting out, but every booking through them costs you a commission and the customer relationship stays with the platform. Use them as one channel among several and work on your own channels too: your website, your Google profile, your ads and your customer list.
5. The local rules for cookies and emails
If your website is aimed at customers in Spain, Spanish rules apply. Analytics and advertising cookies need the visitor’s consent before they are installed, and your cookie banner must let people reject them as easily as accept them. For commercial emails, Spanish law allows you to write to former customers about similar services, as long as every email includes a simple way to unsubscribe. This is not legal advice, so check your case with whoever handles your data protection.
6. Speaking to Spanish customers in their own language
Translating your website is only the first step. Your Spanish-speaking customers will also read your social media, your emails and your replies to their messages. If no one in your team writes Spanish comfortably, it is worth having that part handled by someone who does, so your brand sounds the same in both languages. Bear in mind that in Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and the Valencian Community, Catalan is also an official language.
How we work with international businesses in Spain
Caretta is a nautical marketing agency based in Barcelona. We work only with businesses from the sea: yacht charters, boat rental companies, sailing schools, sea activities, shipyards and marine services.
We work in English, Spanish and French, so we can be your bridge between the international market and the Spanish one: one strategy, campaigns in each language and a website that sells in both. We work remotely with businesses all along the Spanish coast, including the Balearic and Canary Islands, with meetings by video call and clear results every month, measured in bookings.
You can see everything we do on our nautical marketing services page.
Frequently asked questions
Do you work with businesses outside Barcelona?
Yes. We work remotely with nautical businesses all over Spain, including the Balearic and Canary Islands, and with international destinations such as the Caribbean. Meetings are by video call and we share results every month, wherever you are.
Can you run my campaigns in English and in Spanish?
Yes. We create websites, ads and content in English, Spanish and French, and we target each campaign by language and country so it reaches the people who are actually going to book.
Do I really need a Spanish version of my website?
If you want Spanish customers, yes. People search in their own language, and a page in Spanish gives you a chance to appear in those searches and makes it easier for them to trust you and book.
In short
A nautical business in Spain with an international team has an advantage: it can sell to two markets. The key is to speak to each one in its own language, on your own channels and with a clear plan for the season. At sea, whoever sets sail first goes furthest.