The International Marina & Boatyard Conference, which took place last week in Fort Lauderdale, said it saw a 10 percent increase in full-conference registrations.
The Jan. 25-27 IMBC, produced by the Association of Marina Industries, hosted more than 800 conferees, 122 exhibitors and 15 sponsors.
Organizers said an IMBC full-conference pass, as opposed to lesser-valued exhibit-only passes and one-day passes, offers complete access to the show for all three days, including the exhibit hall, seminars, workshops, receptions and extracurricular events such as the IMBC Pub Crawl.
“Attendees who purchase a full-conference pass are looking for the total IMBC experience,” IMBC coordinator Kayce Cashill-Florio said in a statement. “This increase in registration shows us that marina industry professionals are not just interested in walking the trade show floor to visit with exhibitors, but also are interested in the quality education and networking opportunities we offer at IMBC.”
The IMBC hosted multiple pre-conference events and meetings before officially kicking off Wednesday night with a crowded opening night reception on the exhibit hall floor.
Over three days marina professionals heard talks from professional speakers, association presidents, and peers and colleagues. New certified marina managers and operators were publicly awarded before CMMs and CMOs gathered to celebrate the program’s 25th anniversary.
“IMBC brings marina professionals together from all over the world. We’re starting to see people plan meetings outside of our three-day conference because they know they’ll be here. It’s a convenient time for everyone to touch base with other members of our industry,” AMI chairman Brad Gross said. “There is a reason we are the largest marina-specific conference in North America.”
