Miami International Boat Show statistics

by Bob Wonders on 22 Feb 2010 Someone once said there are lies, damned lies and statistics.

It's true that some statistics can be misleading, some can be downright boring, but I think you'll find some of the details concerning the Miami International Boat Show quite interesting.

This year's show was the 69th edition of the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) Miami exhibition, and with the 2010 attendance confirmed at 91,415 visitors it was certainly a far cry from Miami show #1 staged beneath a tent in 1941.

That first show attracted 50 exhibitors; at the 2010 show more than 2000 boat builders, manufacturers, distributors, marine dealers and importers turned out to display their goods and services.

Nearly half of all exhibitors and visitors at the show travel from outside Florida.

The show is certainly a boon to the state, generating more than USD$817 million in gross sales and wages.

Additionally, it supports more than full-time 9000 jobs annually.

Eighty-five thousand copies of the show's official program are distributed free throughout the show.

The Miami Beach Convention Centre, headquarters of the show, but only one of three venues, boasts 2.5 million square feet (about 232,250 square metres) of exhibition space; to carpet its flooring requires enough carpet to cover 20 football fields!

More than 3000 boats, ranging in size from 1.82-metres (6') to 29.26-metres (96') were on display at the three sites, the convention centre in Miami Beach and the Bayside and Sea Isle Marinas in Miami.

Setting up the convention centre is a major task for electricians; it takes 14 days for the ‘sparkies' to install the temporary power plant for the show.

Organisers estimate a permanent installation with the same electrical requirements would demand six months build time.

All up, it takes 1500-plus workers five days to effect move-in and move-out at the show.

The record attendance for a Miami International Boat Show was achieved in 2003 when 153,400 flocked to the exhibition.

Needless to say, the financial downturn has had an effect on show attendance, but the NMMA was well pleased with the 2010 figures, particularly in view of the harsh weather conditions which hit the United States.

In the north-east, dozens of airports were closed due to what the Americans tagged ‘The Winter Storm'; hundreds of flights were cancelled and many exhibitors and visitors, including a number of boating journalists scheduled to cover the show, were simply unable to get to Florida.

One news report claimed more than 300,000 homes in Washington DC alone were without power.

According to Thomas J.Dammrich, president of the NMMA, 2010 was 'overall a good show.'

'Attendance was down by six percent compared to 2009, mainly due to the heavy snow storms that hit the north east and mid west,' he said.

'However, many exhibitors reported a strong show; boat builders reported a mixed result, some extremely satisfied, some disappointed,' he added.