2023 AMI Conference breaks record for attendance, industry direction continues to point toward electric

The Association of Marina Industries held its annual industry conference from January 30th to February 1st this year at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach. This past weekend AMI released figures showing that 2023 is the year that attendance peaked, with over 1,100 attendees partaking in a packed weekend of education and camaraderie.

The AMI Conference is the largest annual event devoted entirely to marina management and the boating industry. AMI is the only accredited institution supplying training and continuing education for marina managers and its 1,000+ members represent marina and boatyard owners, harbormasters, boat builders, marketers, consultants, and anyone else with a stake in the boating universe. 

The final day of the Conference was highlighted by a Future of Boats panel that included leaders from across the industry.

While their roles were diverse, each panel member shared a common theme: now is the time for marinas to prepare for electrification. The AMI Conference often serves as a barometer measuring the industry climate, and the workshop themes and conversation pointed toward a couple of prominent trends: proper leadership techniques for marina managers (two of the keynotes spoke explicitly on team-building and coaching skills) and the future of electrification in boating. We recently talked about electric boat builders and their plans to make 2023 the year to bring electric hydrofoils into the mainstream. 

AMI Vice-Chair Rick Chapman spoke on the excitement of the Conference: 

“From the pre-conference workshops and opening keynote on Front Row Leadership to the Future of Boats panel and everything in between, the content was on point. Even if the speakers shared things we didn’t want to hear, we needed to hear them. We experienced record-breaking attendance, our exhibit floor was sold out, our social night was the largest we have had to date, and there was an energy throughout the event that was hard to ignore.” 

While the next AMI Conference is almost a full year away, AMI actively provides education and resources for marina managers throughout the year, and you can check out some of the upcoming marina management course events on the AMI website.

Article by Hammer and Nail Marketing

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Relevant links you might find useful:

A gathering place for connection: previewing the 2023 AMI Conference & Expo and why marina managers should be there

Around the industry: AMI Conference underway, boat shows fill the winter schedule, Yamaha donates life jackets