Buying a charter or tour company in Space Coast and Volusia

Space Coast and Volusia has 23 established charter and tour companies by our count: companies in business at least 15 years that still file with the state every year and aren't part of a larger group. Of those, 48% have been in business 20 years or more. Most will never be listed for sale, and many of their owners have never been asked.

established companies

48%

built over 20+ years

$124k+

a year, earned by the top quarter

built over 30+ years

What it takes to own one

Charter and tour companies in Space Coast and Volusia come in every size. Here's what owning one could look like at three levels, from a solid company to one of the leaders, with a small business loan covering most of the price.

A solid company

Earns about: $47,000 a year
Price about: $143,000
Your cash: $20,000
Could pay you: up to $21,000 a year

A strong company

Top quarter in Space Coast and Volusia

Earns about: $124,000 a year
Price about: $379,000
Your cash: $53,000
Could pay you: up to $56,000 a year

One of the leaders

Top tenth in Space Coast and Volusia

Earns about: $195,000 a year
Price about: $596,000
Your cash: $83,000
Could pay you: up to $88,000 a year

Earnings are owner earnings: profit plus what the owner pays themselves, before loan payments and taxes. They and the prices are our estimates from public records, not the owners' figures, and we value companies like these at about 3.0 times a year's owner earnings. Your cash covers the down payment and closing costs, and what the business could pay you is what's left after the loan payments and the cushion lenders require. The more cash you bring, the further up you can go.

Age, size and location

Revenue is our estimate from public records, grouped into wide ranges.

In business	Companies
Under 20 years	12
20 to 29 years	9
30 to 39 years	1
40 years or more	1

Estimated yearly revenue	Companies
Under $1M	3
$2M to $4M	1

County	Companies
Brevard	18
Other counties	5

Town	Companies
Merritt Island	7

What the best charter and tour companies have in common

Strong reviews and listings that bring direct bookings without heavy commissions.
A dock or base with a long lease in a busy visitor area, since good slips and dock space are hard to find.
Boats or vehicles in good condition, with maintenance logs and inspection records.
Licensed captains or drivers besides the owner, who come back season after season.
Repeat business from companies, hotels or cruise passengers that fills slow periods.
A clean safety record and insurance at a reasonable cost.
Revenue spread across the year, or costs that shrink in the slow season.
A booking system that takes deposits and handles weather cancellations clearly, so refunds don't become disputes.

What to check before you buy

For each boat or vehicle: its age, marine survey or inspection, maintenance logs and what's still owed on it.
The dock or base lease: term, renewal, and any rules from the marina, city or park.
Bookings by month for several years, and by source (direct, booking sites, hotels), with the commissions paid.
Insurance cost and claims, including passenger injuries, and a quote for you as the new owner.
Captain and driver credentials, drug testing records, and who will stay after the sale.
Hurricane plans: where the boats or vehicles go, and how many days are lost to weather each year.
For contract routes, the term, who can cancel, and whether the contract can be assigned to you.
Permits or agreements to operate in parks, preserves or city waterfronts, and whether they transfer.

Questions to ask the owner

Who captains or drives each trip, and will they stay?
How do customers find you, and what do the booking sites charge?
What were your best and worst months last year?
How old are the boats or vehicles, and what major repairs are coming up?
Has anyone been hurt on a trip, and how did you handle it?
How long is the dock or yard lease, and can it be transferred to me?
How does hurricane season affect the business?

To learn what these companies do, which licenses they need and how ownership works, read our full guide to buying a charter or tour company in Florida.

Owning a company in Space Coast and Volusia

The local economy

This region covers Brevard, Volusia and Flagler counties: Melbourne, Palm Bay, Titusville, Cocoa, Cocoa Beach, Merritt Island, Daytona Beach, Port Orange, Ormond Beach, DeLand, Deltona, New Smyrna Beach and Palm Coast. Brevard's economy is built around space. Rockets launch often from Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, and aerospace and defense manufacturers and their suppliers employ engineers, technicians and machinists across the county. Port Canaveral is a major cruise port.

Volusia depends more on tourism, beaches and big events, with Daytona's motorsports and motorcycle rallies drawing crowds. Health care and a large retired population matter too. Flagler County, around Palm Coast, is mostly residential. Machine shops, electrical and engineering firms, home service companies, marine businesses and restaurants all have a place here.

What's different about owning a company here

Brevard's fortunes follow the space and defense programs. A company that sells to aerospace firms should be able to show you how many customers it depends on and how secure their work is. Business in Volusia spikes around big events and the winter season, so look at revenue by month.

The whole coast faces storm risk. In 2022, Hurricane Ian brought flooding to much of Volusia, and Hurricane Nicole, which came ashore near Vero Beach six weeks later, washed away beaches and seawalls along the Volusia coast. Beachfront property needs careful insurance and structural checks. The Indian River Lagoon and the St. Johns River make boating and fishing part of daily life, which keeps the marine trades busy. Palm Coast and the Palm Bay area have added many new homes, and companies serving those areas have grown with them.