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2016 Miami International Boat Show estimates strong attendance at new venue

| General NMMA News

“The 2016 Progressive Insurance Miami International Boat Show was a resounding success for exhibitors, attendees, recreational boating and South Florida. Miami Marine Stadium Park & Basin was the ideal host to the best boat show I have ever experienced,” said Thom Dammrich, NMMA president. “Attendance was very strong the first four days of the show with docks and aisles packed over the weekend. We expect a tally on attendance in the days ahead.”

Dammrich continued, “Whether it was the gorgeous weather, exhibitors reporting significant sales, attendees having a blast enjoying the outdoor venue and all the new on-water features, or the more than 100,000 people from around the world who not only shopped our show but brought all-important tourism dollars to Miami-Dade—this year’s show was the start of something very big for our industry and for South Florida.  
 
"As we expected, we learned a lot with it being the first time at our new home and we made adjustments each day of the show--adding more shuttle buses and relocating water taxis, adding personnel, improving communication and signage, decreasing food service wait times, and much more. This show proved that Miami embraces park and ride—an estimated 85-90 percent of exhibitors and attendees took shuttle buses and water taxis, which kept the Rickenbacker Causeway traffic flowing throughout the show. The plan works, we just need to apply more resources to it, which we’ll do next year."
 
"From transportation and signage to restrooms and food service—these are all very do-able and necessary improvements that we’re already looking forward to implementing in our 2017 plans to make next year’s show even better. While feedback from exhibitors has been overwhelmingly positive, we encourage all exhibitors to share their feedback with us as we continue to enhance and improve the show. This is the exhibitors’ show—we need their suggestions to help us make it better in the years in to come.”
 
But, don't just take our word. Below are just a few of the many media stories coming out of Miami: