The National Marine Manufacturers Association will hold a webinar April 23 to outline issues and new items for this year’s American Boating Congress, which will take place May 5-7 in Washington, D.C.
“We’ll use that as an opportunity to give a preview of issues, to give an overview of lobbying on the Hill and to unveil the new smartphone app so folks will have a preview of what it does before they even come,” NMMA spokeswoman Lauren Dunn told Trade Only Today.
The app is sort of like having “ABC in your pocket,” Dunn said.
“So when people go to the Hill, they’ll have talking points, a map of the Hill, scheduled meetings right there,” she said. “We really wanted to make it as easy as possible for folks and eliminate any nervousness or concern. It’s just another tool we could provide to make this event absolutely as effortless as possible for people who have already made a great effort just by coming and attending in the first place.”
The hourlong webinar will take place at 2 p.m. EST.
There were 38 co-hosts for the event as of last week, which is already more than ever before, Dunn said.
This is the third year that the NMMA has offered opportunities for co-hosts, Dunn said, which helps other groups “feel some ownership over the event. You’re seeing that reflected in the increasing number of co-hosts and attendees. It seems that work is really paying off and that message that ABC is really important, and not just for our members.”
The event will feature two days of meetings this year instead of one.
“Tuesday and Wednesday, folks have opportunities on two days to go to the Hill instead of trying to pack everything into one afternoon,” Dunn said. “That was also a change made in response to attendee feedback.”
An attendee meeting reception will take place May 5, the opening day of ABC, during an evening cruise along the Potomac River on Virginia’s Jewel, Dunn said.
“Opening up that Monday night B2B event was a direct response to feedback we got,” she said.
