With builder after builder reporting drops in income, and dealers holding more inventory than the market can absorb, the fall boat shows will be strategic marketing events heading into boating’s off season.
Kicking off the fall circuit will be the Orlando Boat Show, Aug. 23-25, docking in the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. Produced by the Marine Industry Association of Central Florida, the show will feature 22 of the area’s largest dealers representing a combined 80-plus builders with an expected 500 boats on display.
“Show visitors this year are going to see the widest selection of boats we’ve presented in recent years, and we’ll be promoting that heavily,” said Joe Lewis, general manager of Mount Dora Boating Center and Marina and president of MIACF. “In addition, we’ll be calling attention to wide-ranging deals and extra incentives to move products now.”
Special sales promotions will be pushed throughout the show. Among them from both dealers and manufacturers will be such add-ons as extended warranties, multiyear service packages, waived dockage fees, enhanced electronics and accessory packages, and more.
To drive attendance, the show will include family attractions — for example, the “Hook the Future” kid’s fishing clinic with Capt. Don Dingman, as seen on the Sportsman Channel. He’ll present interactive discussions of basic fishing techniques, and kids age 5 to 15 will receive a free rod and reel combo following each clinic.
And there’s more.
The new Gatorland “Wrangler on the Way” animal meet-and-greet will show the wild side of Florida. Dubbed the “Alligator Capital of the World,” Gatorland includes a diverse array of animals, including alligators and snakes. Expert handlers will deliver presentations, and some animals will be available for photo ops.
In addition, there will be a fun atmosphere throughout the show, created by the Longshoreman Comedic Street Performers, a pirate magician, and even a mermaid on stilts. Kids can catch fish at the Let’s Go Fishing Trout Pond and receive a custom caricature driving a boat by Cartoon You Caricatures. And adults can tackle a virtual saltwater fishing simulator to catch a bull dolphin.
Popular with Florida anglers, the show will be loaded with fishing boats and equipment, including “The Fishing Zone” with exhibits devoted to all types of gear, including freshwater and saltwater rods and reels, freshwater and saltwater lures, clothing and accessories.
Attendees can also participate in a “Crack the Code” contest for a chance to win a 2024 Avid 21FSX valued at $40,000 (sponsored by Boaters Exchange).
MIACF is going all out to deliver a big audience of prospective buyers to its member dealers at a crucial time. In addition, the group will follow up the Orlando show with its Daytona Beach Boat Show, scheduled for Sept. 6-8 in the city’s Ocean Center.
Elsewhere, early major shows include the big Metro Boat Show, Sept. 12-15 in Harrison Charter Township, Mich.; the Newport International Boat Show, Sept. 12-15 in Newport, R.I.; the Norwalk Boat Show, Sept. 19-22 in Norwalk, Conn.; and the popular Jersey Shore Boat Sale & Expo, Sept. 27-29 in Lakewood.
