HISWA

What HISWA does

HISWA-RECRON is a Dutch trade association (vereniging) headquartered in Leusden, Netherlands, founded in 1938 as the trade body for Dutch water sports businesses and merged with RECRON in 2019 to also cover the broader recreation sector. The organization operates the HISWA.nl platform, a comprehensive B2B2C marketplace and directory for water sports services (boat sales, boat rentals, sailing schools, maintenance and repair, marinas, and industry jobs), alongside the Recron.nl platform for campgrounds, holiday parks, vacation homes, and day recreation businesses. Core technology is a web-based marketplace and B2B membership platform with multilingual support (Dutch, English, German) and complementary sub-brands including HISWA Erkende Bedrijven (certified business directory), HISWA Certified Yachtservice, the beroepencheck career assessment tool, and the Watersportvacatures job portal.

Revenue is generated through three streams: annual business membership subscriptions to HISWA-RECRON (the only category eligible for membership), exhibitor fees and ticket sales from the HISWA te water in-water boat show at Bataviahaven, Lelystad (the largest in-water boat show in Northern Europe), and platform transaction referrals across the marketplace. The association monetizes its certified quality marks (HISWA Erkend Bedrijf, HISWA Certified Yachtservice, HISWA Opleidingsbedrijf) to drive consumer trust and platform traffic, and provides standardized HISWA General Conditions and an independent Geschillencommissie with compliance guarantee as a member benefit. Strategic partnerships with ANWB (advocacy), SBB (vocational training), CWO (sailing education), and Blauwe Vlag (eco-certification) extend the association's institutional reach. The organization is member-owned, privately funded through subscriptions, and does not have disclosed venture capital, private equity, or parent ownership.

Name

HISWA

Legal name

HISWA-RECRON

Website

https://hiswa.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1938

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

HISWA-RECRON is a Dutch trade association operating the HISWA.nl water sports marketplace and Recron.nl recreation platform, serving water sports businesses, boat buyers, renters, sailing students, and recreation operators across the Netherlands through membership fees, events, and platform services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Sports Marketplace

NAICS

Boat Dealers (441222), Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Sports & Marine Recreation Retail (Paddle/Surf/Dive/Boat Accessories) (CRAMABAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Boat & Personal Watercraft (PWC) Retail (CRAMAIAA)

Keywords

• Water sports marketplace
• Boat rental services
• Sailing school directory
• Yacht maintenance services
• Trade association membership

Headquarters

HQ city

Leusden

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Business Membership Fees: Companies in the water sports and recreation sector pay membership fees to join HISWA-RECRON. Benefits include use of HISWA General Conditions, access to a knowledge base, informative meetings, and discounts on trade shows. Only businesses can become members.
2. HISWA te water Event: The HISWA te water is the largest in-water boat show in Northern Europe, held in the Bataviahaven in Lelystad. Revenue is generated through exhibitor fees, ticket sales, and related event services.
3. Platform Services and Certifications: The online platform facilitates boat sales, rentals, and service bookings generating transaction referrals. Certified designations (HISWA Erkend Bedrijf, HISWA Certified Yachtservice, HISWA Opleidingsbedrijf) provide a quality framework that drives consumer trust and platform traffic.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

HISWA operates the primary Dutch water sports platform (hiswa.nl), a consumer-facing marketplace connecting boat buyers, renters, and sailing students with HISWA-recognized businesses across the Netherlands. Through its parent trade association HISWA-RECRON, it provides membership-based services including standardized general conditions, an independent disputes committee, and quality certifications (HISWA Erkend Bedrijf, HISWA Certified Yachtservice) to water sports and recreation businesses.

Product overview

HISWA is the primary Dutch watersports platform functioning as a comprehensive B2B2C marketplace and directory service. The platform operates through multiple interconnected sub-brands: HISWA.nl serves as the main marketplace for boat sales (new and used) and rentals; Recron.nl covers broader recreation sector listings; HISWA-RECRON represents the entrepreneur association; and HISWA te water hosts the premier Northern European in-water boat exhibition. Core service modules include boat purchasing assistance with certified brokers and inspection services, boat rental across multiple Dutch regions, sailing education through certified schools, and maintenance/repair services via certified yacht service providers. The platform also features a job portal for the watersport industry and provides standardized general conditions and an independent disputes committee for consumer protection.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ANWBcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHISWA coordinates with ANWB on matters related to water sports and recreational boating. ANWB is the Royal Dutch Touring Club (ANWB), a major roadside assistance and travel organization in the Netherlands. The partnership provides cross-referral of water sports information and aligns standards for recreational boating safety and services.
• SBB (Samenwerkingsorganisatie Beroepsonderwijs Bedrijfsleven)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSBB is the Dutch organization for vocational education and the business community that sets standards for recognized training companies. HISWA facilitates its member companies in obtaining SBB-recognized training company status (HISWA Opleidingsbedrijf), enabling them to offer apprenticeships and internships for MBO students.
• Blauwe Vlag (Blue Flag)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlauwe Vlag (Blue Flag) is an international eco-certification for beaches, marinas, and boats. HISWA lists Blauwe Vlag-certified member companies on its platform, integrating the certification into its directory of HISWA-recognized businesses.
• Geschillencommissie (Disputes Committee)coreOthersAn independent disputes committee with a compliance guarantee (nakomingsgarantie) for consumers and businesses. Part of the formal dispute resolution framework within HISWA's general conditions system.
• CWO (Centrale Watersport Opleidingen)coreTechnology or IntegrationCWO is the Dutch central organization for water sports training and certifications. HISWA sailing schools issue CWO diplomas and operate under CWO recognition, integrating CWO's certification framework into the HISWA quality system.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Catawiki: Catawiki is a Dutch-headquartered online auction platform that includes a boats category. While broader than HISWA, it represents an emerging digital channel for used boat transactions that overlaps with HISWA's tweedehands boten (second-hand boats) module and competes for the same Dutch consumer trust positioning.

Direct peers

• YachtWorld: YachtWorld is a leading global yacht brokerage marketplace for new and used boats. It directly competes with HISWA's jachtmakelaars (yacht broker) directory and used boat listings, although it operates internationally rather than concentrating in the Netherlands.
• Boats Group: Boats Group operates boats.com, YachtWorld, and Boat Trader, the largest global online boat marketplaces. It is the closest direct competitor to HISWA.nl's boat sales and brokerage listing functionality, serving the same consumer-to-broker matching use case at greater scale.
• Boot24: Boot24 is a major German-language boat marketplace for new and used boats, comparable to HISWA's kopen (boat buying) module. It serves a similar German-speaking audience that HISWA targets via its DE-language site, making it a direct regional competitor in boat listings.

Broad incumbents

• Royal Yachting Association (RYA): The RYA is the UK national body for sailing, motor boating, and other water sports, offering certifications, training, and member services. It is comparable to HISWA-RECRON as a national watersports membership and certification body, although it operates in a larger and more sailing-oriented market.
• BOAT International: BOAT International operates a global superyacht marketplace, brokerage directory, and media brand. It is comparable to HISWA in connecting consumers to yacht brokers and dealers, but operates at the premium end of the market and does not focus on recreational watersports rentals or education.

Regional players

• Deutscher Segler-Verband (DSV): The DSV is the German national sailing federation and watersports association. It is comparable to HISWA-RECRON as an industry body representing sailing clubs, schools, and members, but operates in Germany rather than the Netherlands and does not run a competing consumer marketplace at HISWA's scale.
• ANWB Waterrecreatie: ANWB is the Royal Dutch Touring Club and has a strategic relationship with HISWA on water sports and recreational boating. While ANWB's primary focus is broader mobility and travel, its water recreation division competes for the same Dutch consumer wallet and brand attention in boating.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hiswaamsterdam
• Facebookfacebook.com/HISWA.nl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hiswa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HISWA