PHOTO COURTESY SWFMIA

The Fort Myers Boat Show has been rescheduled for Jan. 5-8.

The hard-hit Fort Myers area is still recovering from Hurricane Ian, but the Marine Industries Association of Southwest Florida and Tampa Bay said in a statement that “things are returning to some semblance of normal” quicker than expected.

“We walked the boat-show site in downtown and feel very comfortable that the city will be ready to welcome us in January, show manager Kyle Good said in the statement. “It was unreal to watch videos of several feet of water flowing through downtown streets, yet now we see more restaurants and stores reopening every day and have no doubt that January is going to work very well.”

Exhibit space is nearly full, according to organizers. There won’t be in-water displays because the City Yacht Basin remains closed. There will be exhibits in the Caloosa Sound Convention Center, and the new amphitheater will provide additional exhibit space for dealers who would have had boats in the water.

“We are looking forward to this show,” said Tom Papesh, of York Road Marine on Pine Island. “Our employees have been amazing, working non-stop to get the boatyard open. … I cannot believe how everyone on the island has pulled together and can’t wait to get to this show and let everyone know that we are open and ready to sell some boats.”