Leisure and tourism based upon boating are important industries in the Broads. There is a long tradition of boat hire, both sail and power driven as well as rowing boats. Today, boating holidays are very popular. Maltings, such as the large buildings in this photograph, are sited next to rivers and harbours because of the easy access. Today the making of malt is no longer a local industry, though it continues to be made at one or two other places in the country. As a result many maltings in East Anglian towns have either been demolished or converted into flats.

Here they have been turned into luxury holiday homes with private quayside and moorings while elsewhere in Suffolk they have been converted to other industrial uses. Oulton broad is an important boating lake and a centre for power boat races as well as sailing.