Tag Archives: January 2016

After a strong 2015, the boating industry should feel confident about its businesses in the coming year. That confidence will hopefully inspire dealers and manufacturers alike to take calculated risks to attract more customers and grow sales. We’ve gathered 16 different marketing trends for marine businesses to be aware of in 2016 that will help maximize profits. Mobile is king If ...

Most segments, areas looking good for 2016 Sometimes there’s nothing wrong with being boring. That may be the best way to sum up the state of the boating industry these days, with slow and steady growth becoming the norm the last several years. That trend looks to continue this year. Industry estimates put 2015 unit growth in the high single-digit ...

While pontoon boats have commanded the lion’s share of the sales and market share headlines over the past several years, more recently some of the fastest and most impressive growth has occurred in the saltwater fishing segment. The numbers don’t lie – according to the National Marine Manufacturers Association, wholesale shipments of saltwater fishing boats in 2014 were up an ...

In order to get new boaters involved in our industry, it seems that all we need to do is open the door and invite them in. If that is the case, boat clubs and boat sharing are the surrounding gate that gets these potential consumers closer to the end goal of ownership. That first experience, when boaters are “hooked” into ...

It’s no secret that America becomes more diverse every day. That means that the markets we’re trying to reach in the boating industry are also changing. And that trend is only accelerating. In 2014, the U.S. population under 5 years old was only 50 percent white. Only 59 percent of Millennials are white, compared with 73 percent of Baby Boomers. ...

In our research and interviews for this month’s industry forecast article, we’re seeing continued, steady growth in the boat market. Unit sales are up in the mid-to-high single digits, with similar growth projected for next year. It’s a growth trend that started several years ago, and it’s certainly better than the alternative. But underlying that growth is the growing concern ...

Melissa Danko, executive director of the Marine Trades Association of New Jersey, was named the Darlene Briggs Woman of the Year for 2015 at the awards breakfast during the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo, which took play on Nov. 15-18. Danko has led the association for the past 15 years after working in the hotel industry for 10 years. Her ...

One of the biggest changes in the Miami International Boat Show’s 75-year history takes place this year, as the show moves from Miami Beach to the Miami Marine Stadium Park & Basin on Virginia Key. The move has been the subject of plenty of discussion and controversy, with the village of Key Biscayne and others objecting to the new location, ...