Grow Boating: What would you do?
In the April issue of Boating Industry magazine, I wrote a column sharing my thoughts about the Grow Boating Initiative. In the past few months, I’ve heard from a handful of industry executives who are concerned about certain aspects of the program.
Ultimately, I think those of us who have concerns about the program have a responsibility to get involved and build a better Grow Boating. It’s an industry program, designed to help members improve and grow. It’s in our best interest to do everything we can to ensure it is successful.
But that’s enough about my perspective. I want to hear yours. Grow Boating just launched a new Discover Boating marketing and PR campaign, “Welcome to the water.” Then, there is NMMA Certification and Dealer Certification.
What do you think about these initiatives? What are their strengths and their weaknesses? How would you move forward with the Grow Boating program if you were in charge of it? What can each of us do to ensure a better future for the boating business?
sponsor some local safety events and reach the public encouraging people to experience the lifestyle of boating in their area
One of the five original objectives was to preserve facilities for recreational boating. Unfortunately, as facilities have slowly vanished one slip and one parking space at a time the industry has done very little to help local boaters in the battle to preserve resources.
How can the boating industry grow if boating resources are lost in the favor of stores and restaurants? Our children’s and grand children’s ability to enjoy boating will suffer because of these resource losses allowed because of a lack of involvement by the boating industry.
All is not lost yet, but local boaters desperately need the industry’s help and support to do the front line work. We are all in this together because you can’t sell it if people can’t find a place to use it.