Charleston Boat Show open for retail sales January 29-31
The Charleston, S.C. Boat Show, produced by JBM & Associates on behalf of the Tri-County Marine Trade Association, will be held January 29-31, at the Charleston Area Convention Center with essential modifications due to Covid-19 guidelines.
“My team and I have been working diligently for the past several months to ensure we are not only adhering to all the City and State’s guidelines, but taking additional measures to keep the public safe,” said Jacqui McGuinness, JBM President. “We successfully produced the Wilmington, NC Boat Show in October under strict Covid-19 guidelines and plan to do the same with the Charleston Boat Show.”
With unprecedented boat sales, people recognize boating as a safe, outside activity which families have been enjoying especially during this difficult year.
“This year’s Charleston Boat Show will be run as a retail sales venue only, without any special events like fishing seminars or interactive displays. Exhibitors, staff, and attendees will have to adhere to our Covid-19 Safety plan as they did in Wilmington. The main purpose of this show is to sell boats and marine products with this event safer than going to any big box store given how spread out this event will be, “said McGuinness.
The inside area of the show will be held in the Convention Center and will adhere to the 50% capacity rule under the State’s guidelines. The outside portion of the show will be bigger and more spread out this year, along with a massive tent for more social distancing. A number of booths have ben eliminated inside and organizers have dramatically increased outdoor space.
Another modification includes eliminating the box office at the show and only using on-line pre-purchase ticketing. To attend, people must pre-order tickets atwww.TheCharlestonBoatShow.com. And, in addition to ticketing changes, additional staff has been hired to continuously clean and disinfect all areas of the facility during the show.
“During this pandemic, people are relying on outdoor activities for connection, tranquility, safety and fun. So, it is important people understand this consumer show is a retail sales venue offering the opportunity to find marine products and services all in one place, instead of traveling to numerous, smaller locations which can’t be as diligent about safety. That’s what this show is all about. And while we won’t have the typical array of interactive events and seminars and will return these added features in the future, for now, we will continue to safely meet the needs of people and families passionate about boating,” added McGuinness.
All exhibitors, staff and attendees will be required to follow the three W’s- WEAR a mask, WAIT six feet apart and WASH your hands. Staff and exhibitors will have daily temperature checks. A full Covid-19 response-safety plan can be found on the show’s website.
