Miami boat show attendance off by 26 per cent
By IBI Magazine
Attendance at the Miami International Boat Show was down 26 per cent to 96,736 visitors this year compared to 130,496 in 2008. While the halls around the convention center were noticeably quieter than last year, the mood among exhibitors was more upbeat than many had predicted going into the show. "Everyone went in knowing it was going to be a tough year, so the lower attendance was not unexpected," said Thom Dammrich, NMMA president. "But the buyers who came were out seriously shopping. The casual visitor didn't make it, and we saw fewer international attendees and snowbirds. But the manufacturers were selling some boats." Most exhibitors at the convention center were pleased that they were selling any boats. Boston Whaler reportedly sold 15 boats on the first day, while other mainstream manufacturers like Regal, Sea Ray and US Marine also had a fair share of sales. About a dozen manufacturers used Miami as a launchpad to introduce new products. "It wasn't as busy as the past," said Roger Taylor of Edgewater Boats, a center console manufacturer. The company introduced a new 33-ft boat at the show. "But we did see some pretty good quality, mainly international guys. We sold four or five boats, and normally we don't pen that many deals at the show." Many manufacturers were offering rock-bottom pricing in order to move boats, and the strategy seemed to be attracting bargain hunters. At the Miami Beach Yacht & Brokerage Show, which does not keep attendance records, the crowds also seemed to be thinner. Some longtime exhibitors had bowed out of the show, leaving noticeable gaps along the docks that were filled either by brokerage boats or smaller boats from other builders. But by Friday, several manufacturers said they had signed multiple deals. Ugo Garassino, vice director general of Azimut Yachts, said that Azimut had sold five yachts ranging from 47 to 62 feet. Other manufacturers reported similar results. "We are selling boats, but just not in the quantity we've done in the past," said Garassino. "But we are still very happy to be busy." Sunseeker had also sold six boats by day two, including its newly launched 47m yacht. First-time boat companies seemed quite happy to be at the convention center. Several had secured exhibit space when other companies had dropped out. Sea-Legs, a New Zealand-based amphibious boat company, expects to make six sales resulting from the show. "Gone are the days of the US$70,000 impulse purchase," said Nick Williams, the company's US representative. "And since this is our first show, we don't have a way to compare years. But we had a significant amount of people coming to our booth, and our new product helped us stand out from the crowd." "As an accessories manufacturer, we were really busy until the last two days of the show," said Michele Goldsmith, director of sales for Mastervolt Inc. "The first trade day was good and the first day of the consumer show was also good. It wasn't until Saturday afternoon that traffic seemed to die off a little." Goldsmith said her company had a "pretty good" show. Other accessory manufacturers reported similar results. Randy Boelsems of Quickline USA, a California-based manufacturer, had a crowd in front of his stand as he showed off a line of self-righting anchors. "People are interested in the unique new products that we have, so we're hoping they'll order some of our products," said Boelsems, though he worried about its high pricetag in this economy. Ian Hawkins, general manager of Ilmor Marine Engines, also reported "quality" visitors. His company, which marinizes high performance engines, launched a new drive at Miami that would give it a complete engine-and-drive system for the first time. "Since we entered the marine industry in 2001, we've just built engines," says Hawkins. "But now people are seeing us as a viable alternative because we offer the complete package. We have met a lot of potential customers. This has been a really good show for us." Seakeeper, which manufactures a new gyro-stabilizer for boats over 38 feet, was also on hand to show its new products to an industry that is not familiar with the name. "We're still in the awareness phase, so being at the show is as much about promoting the product as it is trying to land owners," said William Fejes, chief operating officer. "But now that our non-compete agreement with Azimut is over, the unit will be part of other brands." Azimut, which has installed Seakeeper gyros on its yachts over the last two years, will now be joined by Fairline, Sunseeker, and Ovation as OEMs offering the Seakeeper gyro-stabilizers. "We're also working on smaller units for the small-boat market," said Fejes. Despite the four days of sales and sunshine in Miami, it was straight back to business for most marine manufacturers. One builder, asking not to be named, said that a lack of dealer floor plan financing is still the major issue hurting the boating industry. Another pundit said that while many builders sold boats at the show, they might not be enough. "They cut all their dead wood in the fall, but now they're trying to hold onto their good workers by furloughing them," he said, requesting anonymity. "They're just hoping they'll get enough orders from the boat shows to ramp up production until sales pick up again."
(18 February 2009)
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