IBEX attendance up as expected

MIAMI, Fla. – Day two of the first co-produced International Boatbuilders’ Exposition and Conference (IBEX) saw an increase in the number of attendees, according to show producers.

As of mid-afternoon Tuesday, approximately 3,600 people had entered the Miami Convention Center show floor. That’s an increase of around 2,100 people from the first day of the show.

“Everyone seems very excited,” said Jennifer Thompson, show producer for the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA). “It feels good, like the old IMTEC, where everybody is getting together.”

Most exhibitors we spoke with recognized an increase in traffic flow on Tuesday, and the expectation from show producers is that the increase should continue through the end of the show today. Similarly, most of the exhibitors expressed a positive experience at this year’s show.

“I haven’t heard about the need for any improvements at this point,” said Carl Cramer, whose Professional Boatbuilder magazine co-produced the event.

Cramer echoed NMMA President Thom Dammrich, when he told us that a post-show survey would give them more detail on any changes that would need to be made for future versions of the show.

“The construction of dates in proximity to the Fort Lauderdale show is favorable,” Cramer said.

But while next year’s dates will remain in the same timeframe, Cramer said the 2005 dates are tentatively set a week earlier. With the 50 percent growth that show producers expect for 2004, Cramer said that only Orland, Fla., and Atlanta, Ga., (along with Miami) could house an event of this size.

Show producers hope that the survey will give them a better idea of a time and location of future shows.

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