NMMA says attendance at Miami Show up 3 percent

swadminFebruary 13, 2004

MIAMI, Fla. – A story in today’s Miami Herald said that by late Thursday afternoon, box-office sales at the Miami International Boat Show were up 3 percent from last year at the same time, according to Cathy Johnston, southern regional manager of the National Marine Manufacturers Association – the show’s producer.

Johnston said she hoped this year’s attendance would approximate 150,000; 138,000 visited in 2003, the story said.

“We’re expecting a fabulous show,” the newspaper quoted Bill Cordes, a sales executive with Homestead’s Contender, a maker of boats meant to appeal to serious fishermen, as saying. Cordes said he expects sales to increase 5 to 10 percent this year.

“A lot of it has to do with the economy’s starting to recover,” he said.

Thom Dammrich, NMMA president, also sees reason for optimism. He expects a 10 percent increase over last year’s sale of 300,000 powerboats, the Herald said.

Sean Pelletier, sales director for the Dania Beach-based Dusky, said the Miami Show is “very important in terms of overall exposure,” for his company especially, since Dusky sells factory direct, making about 250 boats a year, from 14 to 33 feet and $5,000 to $175,000, according to the story.