2022 New England Boat Show finishes strong
It was all about boats in Boston February 16-20 with the return of the Progressive Insurance New England Boat Show, presented by Discover Boating. The 2022 show attracted more than 27,500 visitors, up 8% compared to the same timeframe in 2020. Several exhibitors reported a strong show with quality leads and buyers.
To expand how boat show exhibitors can connect with customers beyond the show floor, NMMA launched the Digital Show Guide in several markets including New England. The beta version featured the boat search tool and included show maps, event schedules, an exhibitor directory and brand microsite pages. To date, the New England Digital Show Guide has generated more than 40,000 page views with average time spent within the boat search tool more than three minutes, indicating a strong consumer desire to connect with companies and shop online.
Helping to attract attendees, boat show marketing went full throttle throughout New England, and the media was eager to shine a spotlight on the boat show – one of the first consumer events to return to the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. Here are some news highlights:
- WCVB-TV (ABC News) – New England Boat Show helps usher in ‘new normal’ for Boston
- Boston 25 News (Fox News) – Nicole Oliverio takes us inside the New England Boat Show
- NECN News (NBC) – Progressive New England Boat Show open through this weekend
- Boston Herald – Conventions are Making a Comeback in Massachusetts
Closing out NMMA’s winter show season are the Progressive Insurance Atlantic City Boat Show, presented by Discover Boating, March 2-6, and Progressive Insurance Northwest Sportshow, presented by Discover Boating, March 10-13, 2022.
Sorry, but it was the most disappointing boat show I’ve ever been to. None of the large/popular brands were there (e.g. Searay, Worldcat, etc) and it was much smaller than in the past. Left before and hour had passed since it was a huge disappointment.