Marina Reservation App Launched
(Image: GPDock)
GPDock, the new community-based online reservation system designed to make the process of reserving a marina slip easier than ever before, announced the launch of its first and free mobile app, available for iOS and Android.
For Boaters, the app offers an opportunity to book marinas the same way they book hotel rooms. With the app, they can access a large database of marinas in the U.S. and the Caribbean, compare amenities, read customer reviews, and book directly 24/7. Additionally, they can pay for fuel or any other services at selected marinas. For commercial marinas, it´s a simple way to secure high occupancy rate: marinas can take and manage reservations, access data about their customers, track their booking history and get paid instantly anytime they want, any day of the year, from their cell phones.
GPDock´s initial operations include more than 100 marinas in South Florida and more than 70 The Bahamas (Abaco, Bimini, Eleuthera Freeport, Nassau). The company is rapidly recruiting more partners in many other key boating destinations throughout the U.S. Short-term goal is to get more than 500 marinas in the U.S before this coming summer.
“We created GPDock because we wanted to combine two of our passions – life on the water and technology. We found out that every time we were planning a boat trip, the marina research process was difficult and time consuming,” said Carlos Courtaux, CEO and co-founder of GPDock.
“Traditional industries already shifted from manual processes to technological solutions. Hotel and transportation services have done this already, so why shouldn’t the boating industry go in the same direction?” added Nicolas Posselt, COO and co-founder.
Even though more and more boats provide an intuitive experience and the number of boating enthusiasts is growing at a fast pace, only 10 percent of marina bookings are made online (versus 85 percent in the hospitality sector).
“Our goal with this platform is to change that stat,” Posselt said.
Since the launch, during the Miami International Boat Show, the company has raised $500,000 in the first round of investments and have recruited 175 marinas.
The GPDock app features:
- Both iOS and Android covered
- Data confidentiality/security encryption system
- Mobile wallet
- Convenient user interface and simple navigation
- 24/7 Customer Service support
- Intuitive Search and Filters
- Customers´ suggestions, ratings and reviews
- Social Experience: interact and share with other boating aficionados
- Interface compatibility with other marina booking platforms
