Exhibitors at the first nine of this year's National Marine Manufacturers Association boat shows are reporting better-than-expected sales and buying crowds with boats selling in all categories, the NMMA reports.
These shows include the New York Boat Show; Kansas City Boat & Sportshow; Nashville Boat & Sportshow; Minneapolis Boat Show; Chicago Boat, RV & Outdoors Show; Baltimore Boat Show; Louisville Boat, RV & Sportshow; Atlanta Boat Show and the Toronto International Boat Show.
Attendance figures for most shows were not immediately available, though the New York show posted a 51 percent increase in attendance from the previous year.
"While many variables contribute to a show's overall attendance - weather, competing events, show dates - at the end of the day, it's not how many people came, it's how many came to buy," NMMA president Thom Dammrich said in a statement. "This year - with a slight increase in consumer confidence, pent-up demand and the allure of the boating lifestyle - we're seeing buyers return, reminding us that boat shows remain an important sales venue for our industry."
Results this year have exceeded expectations with public relations, interactive and advertising programs creating momentum leading into each show, helping to further promote the affordability of boating and the boating lifestyle, according to the NMMA.
Also, the NMMA Advantage program has delivered thousands of visitors to NMMA boat and sportshow Web sites to view participating dealer inventories, driving traffic on-site and additional awareness for exhibitors' offerings, the association said in a statement.
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