MDCE ON TRACK FOR GROWTH
Sponsorship and exhibitor support to date exceeds the same period last year. Manufacturer and supplier support of the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo is up 20 percent as of the end of June, compared to the same time last year.
The 2014 MDCE is scheduled to take place Nov. 16-19 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. Last year, the event featured 92 exhibitors, 49 of which had signed a contract to exhibit by the end of June. This year, 59 exhibitors have signed up to exhibit so far, five of which are brand new for 2014. Click here to view the current list of exhibitors.
“Historically, when we see significant growth in dealer registrations one year, we experience an increase in exhibitors and sponsors the next year,” says Boating Industry publisher Amy Collins. “Last year, dealer attendance was up more than 20 percent, so this trend seems to be repeating itself.”
The 2013 MDCE attracted 615 dealership attendees, representing 596 total retail locations. When combined with exhibitors, sponsors and other manufacturers and suppliers, total attendance exceeded 1,100.
“This sets the stage for further growth in registrations,” explains Liz Walz, director of education for the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, which produces the annual event in partnership with Boating Industry. “While education is the number-one priority of most prospective dealer attendees, it’s clear that the opportunity to shop for new products and services and network with current and potential partners also are key considerations.”
The 2014 MDCE will offer 30 educational sessions in all, the most the event has ever featured, including seven Pre-Conference Workshops. The conference has traditionally included three educational tracks, but in 2014, it has expanded to four tracks: Leadership, Sales, Marketing and Service Plus. A Closing Keynote address also has been added this year.
The MDCE has attracted an increasing number of dealers every year since 2007. MRAA’s goal is to grow the event to more than 1,000 dealer attendees
