Summer 2010: How’s it going?

An estimated 65,000 to 70,000 people, and 7,000 boats, attended the AquaPalooza 2010 Signature Event near Austin, Texas a couple of weekends ago. Held on Lake Travis, and hosted by Sea Ray Boats and its dealer Sail & Ski Center, this year’s Signature Event was the most well attended ever, proving that despite the down economy, people will still show up if you offer them a good time.

Several more Aquapalooza gatherings are scheduled for this weekend as, I’m sure, are many other events designed to get more boaters onto the water and, subsequently, into dealerships. But, with the economy still trying to find its footing and the Gulf oil spill said to still be scaring visitors away, how has the attendance been at your boating events this summer?

A study, released yesterday, that was done for the U.S. Travel Association by Oxford Economics found that the effects of the spill could impact the Gulf Coast’s travel industry for the next three years and eventually cost the region nearly $23 billion in lost travel dollars.

If you’re in the marine industry in the Gulf Coast region, what impact has the spill had on your bottom line? If your somewhere else in the country, how is business this summer at your company? Are the numbers of people boating, and spending money on boating, up or down in your area compared to last summer? Please drop us a line and let us know.