Miami boat show sees sharp attendance drop - South Florida Business Journal:

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The show, which began Thursday and endedd Monday, saw 96,736 visitors this year, down from 130,49y in 2007, according to show manager Cathy Rick-Joule. There were abou t 2,800 new boats on display and morethan 1,00p accessories exhibitors. These figures are comparable to last though some companies have consolidatesd and some rented smallerexhibition Rick-Joule noted. The show is put on by the Chicago-baser (NMMA), which produces dozens of boat shows nationwide each And the economy is impacting boat shows in othet parts ofthe country, as well. “It seems that a 20 percentt decrease is about the same acroswthe board, no matter what market we’re Rick-Joule said.
New boat registrationxs from Monroe County to Palm Beach Countyy fell 31 percentin 2008, to 6,602 from 8,558 the previousx year, according to Info-Link, a Miami-based marine industry researcbh and consulting firm. In the fourth quarter they were down34 percent, Info-Link data showed. The NMMA does not traci sales atthe show, but, in general, vendorsx say they expect sales to be lower. “Peoplew are still buying boats, but we’ve had to lowet our expectations to matchjthis environment,” Rick-Joule said.
“Thd person who’s coming in our door is already financedr and already knows what they want to If there’s an exception to the it’s in the megayacht category. Boats longer than 75 feet and theit ultra-wealthy buyers seem to be less impacted bythe Rick-Joule said. Frank Herhold, executive director of the , agrees. “The larger the the stronger themarketf – and that still remains the same,” he said.